THE multiplication tables are fixed for ever in the memories of millions of older people who chanted them daily in primary school.

Now, quite rightly, the government is going back to such tried and tested methods - in ordering hour-long maths lessons for the three million children in our junior schools, with stress on them knowing their times tables, being able to do sums in their heads and being taught in the traditional "whole class" way.

It is backed by a £55 million package of support and training for teachers and the catching-up effort demanded of them is considerable.

It is estimated that to reach, by 2002, the aim of 75 per cent of 11-year-olds having the numeracy they should have at that age, it will take an improvement of five percentage points every year.

That's how far the present generation have fallen behind.

But the shame is that they were allowed to do so at the hands of trendy teaching when ways that worked were known all along.

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