Nasty attack on poor students Correspondence

In her comments (the latest education in this government? The expulsion of poor students from the university, March 21), Hillary Gaebi-Ababio also mentioned University Minister Michelle Donellan’s plan to stop GCSE math and student loans outside of English. This is a particularly damaging move, even because of the inspiring nature of the current Tory government.

The proposal is at best arbitrary. Worst of all it is an attack on young people from the poorest backgrounds. It is well-known that students living in disadvantaged areas are more likely to be taught by an inexperienced math teacher or someone who does not have a degree in any subject. Can I point the minister to the research of the Nufield Foundation (2018), Social Market Foundation (2016) and others.

Would it be more positive for the minister to work with school colleagues to address the shortage of qualified maths and other teachers in the school? After all, mathematics education benefits all citizens, not just those who go to university. Knowledge of mathematics helps to employ a spot pattern of information, systematic analysis, problem solving, data interpretation and critical thinking and logical reasoning.
Sally Bigwood
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire