Maths and Science Careers Are Not Enticing Enough for Students to Want to Continue Study Says Tutors International
(PRWEB UK) 28 July 2014 -- Tutors International, the world’s leading provider of full time private tuition, today announced that while they agree with the Royal Society’s view that maths and science should be compulsorily taught post-GCSE, akin to the US style of education, the UK needs to ensure its science jobs are more attractive to students.
Leading global tuition agency, Tutors International, which was founded in 1999 by Adam Caller, has published a comment in reference to the Royal Society’s suggestion [1] stating the UK scrap A-levels and pupils sit Baccalaureate-style exams instead, with science and maths as compulsory subjects. The aim being to close the gap on the 40,000 annual short-fall in scientists, engineers, mathematicians in this country.
Mr. Caller, an Independent Educational Consultant, and former physics teacher, agrees with the sentiment, stating that the US-style of post-16 study is commendable: “In the US, students take around six subjects in junior and senior years at high school. Those subjects include maths and science. I believe the UK is seriously falling below par in the standards of teaching for maths and science at A-level. There are some excellent teachers out there – but there are others that aren’t. The quality of science graduates is falling each year, and the UK needs to address this.”
Like the Royal Society, Mr Caller agrees that the UK has a deficit in the number of mathematicians and scientists we produce, but he claims there are not enough jobs to go around.
“There is limited opportunity for people looking for meaningful, world-class jobs in the sciences in this country. Which do we address first? By focusing on the jobs and making them more attractive to students financially but also in their perceived value and progression opportunities, we can perhaps entice more students to continue studying these subjects after GCSE.”
Mr. Caller believes the standard of teaching will improve if the country decides to focus on maths and science for 16-18 year olds: “I see lots of excellent teachers who are in their 40s and 50s, but fewer and fewer high-calibre recent science graduates going into teaching. This naturally means that the standard of teaching at A-level will drop. It’s a cycle that needs to be broken if this country intends to compete in the global knowledge economy.”
References [1] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/scrap-alevels-and-teach-science-up-to-18-royal-society-says-9563057.html, The Independent: Scrap A-levels and teach science up to 18, Royal Society says, Sarah Cassidy, 26 June 2014.
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Notes to Editors:
Tutors International is a worldwide organization providing experienced full-time private tutors to work with children of all ages and nationalities, in a wide variety of situations, including international relocation, after-school support, full-time home tuition, support for AD/HD and dyslexia, home schooling for frequent travellers, and college prep and coaching.
Tutors International was founded by Adam Caller who has tutored students of all ages. He has received specialist training in dyslexia and AD/HD and is very sensitive to children's educational difficulties. He has now turned this expertise to recruiting, training and placing other tutors with HNW and UHNW families around the world. Adam is a member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA).
Andrew Knight, Tutors International, +44 1865435135, [email protected]
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