EDUCATION bosses at Blackburn with Darwen Council will join football stars and local schoolchildren to launch the Maths Year 2000 initiative later this month.

The borough has organised a programme of events to mark Maths Year 2000, starting with a day long conference at Rovers Ewood Park on Thursday, February 10.

The conference aims to encourage a better understanding of the teaching and learning of maths as well as looking at ways of promoting it as an enjoyable subject to study and essential tool in life.

The event, to be held in the ground's International Suite between 9am and 4pm, will be opened by Coun Bill Taylor, chairman of the education and training committee. He will be joined by Alan Newland, national education director of Maths Year 2000, Rovers players and children from Blackburn's Dame Evelyn Fox School.

Coun Taylor said: "I am delighted to be involved in this initiative which compliments the work we are already doing in Blackburn with Darwen in relation to improving standards and boosting attainment levels."

The initiative is being promoted nationally by education secretary David Blunkett, who sees it as an opportunity to banish the fear of figures and boost the country's numeracy skills.

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