Blair raises the curtain on maths roadshows
By Liz Lightfoot, Education Correspondent
THE Prime Minister joined celebrities and sportsmen at a London theatre
yesterday to launch the Government's Maths Year 2000 initiative.
The "maths is fun" message will be spread around the country by a comedy
show that aims to demystify the subject. Over the next 12 months the
Government will be giving primary schools an extra £64 million to
support the
new numeracy hour.
There will also be advanced courses for 500 able children who will take
GCSE maths at the age of 11 as a pilot for introducing the scheme more
widely. The children will be selected from 12 inner city areas.
Mr Blair told the audience at the Criterion Theatre: "There is really nothing
more important than that we get all our children properly grounded in the
basics." The roadshows will be hosted by Johnny Ball, the children's television
presenter.