§ 18. Mr. Easthamasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about the teaching of metrication in schools; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneFive letters and a few telephone inquiries. The Government's policy on metrication in schools remains as set out in my Department's administrative memorandum 9/74. This advised that while teaching should be chiefly in metric units, a general familiarity with imperial units should be maintained.
§ 54. Mr. Sainsburyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has made an assessment of the advantages to be derived from teaching children mathematics and science with metric measurements and of the additional time that is required to teach children to use both the metric and imperial systems.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneNo. My Department's advice, as set out in AM9/74, remains that pupils should maintain general familiarity with imperial units, but not undertake extensive practice in their use.