How Relevant Is Maths Education to Real Life?
A wide-scale survey conducted by the globally renowned research firm Gallup has revealed a clear divide between how adults and employers perceive mathematics education in the United States. Supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the study found that most respondents consider basic mathematical knowledge highly important for both work and daily life. In contrast, advanced high school-level topics were widely seen as unnecessary.
The research is based on interviews with more than 5,000 adults and 2,831 employers. While 20 per cent of adults expressed interest in receiving more education in applied subjects such as data science and financial mathematics, 41 per cent of employers stated that their employees lacked sufficient basic arithmetic skills.
Experts attribute this gap to a mismatch between individual career aspirations and the practical expectations of employers. The study also highlighted that younger generations tend to have more negative feelings towards mathematics.
According to Gallup’s findings, only one in three respondents aged 18 to 24 reported enjoying maths lessons. Experts suggest that this may be due to teaching methods failing to meet students’ needs and the curriculum’s lack of connection to real-life contexts.
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