Firstly, we'll need a more scientifically literate workforce, so let's put more cash into hiring science and maths teachers.
England's pupils were placed in the top 10 for science and maths.
The government cash was also to be used for language teachers in primary schools and science and maths teachers in secondary schools.
BBC: NEWS | UK | Education | City teachers could get more cash
In December the OECD published the results of a test pitting teenage students around the world against each other in reading, science and maths.
ECONOMIST: The contest with China moves into the classroom and nursery
England's Department for Children, Schools and Families rejected the claims, saying it had done a great deal to recruit science and maths graduates into teaching.
The performance of Massachusetts was much more successful than the US average - and was at a level that would put it among top performing science and maths countries such as Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong and Japan.
From these, you derive more specific aims eg that as citizens, they will need to understand the society they live in, its economy, and the contribution of science, maths and technology to the latter.
Incidentally, this was well ahead of Scotland which came 18th and 16th in maths and science respectively.
Dr Schmidt said the UK needed to reignite children's passion for science, engineering and maths.
In a ranking of 15-year-olds in 30 industrialised countries in 2006, American teenagers came a dismal 21st in science and 25th in maths.
Academia is, for the most part, well suited to work-life balance choices. (I, say, for the most part because science, maths and engineering appear to have deeper problems).
Mr Blunkett could certainly regard these results as justification for his tough targets and firm focus on maths, science and English.
America was 17th in reading and even lower in maths and science.
ECONOMIST: The contest with China moves into the classroom and nursery
"We have a common goal, to inspire young people, to show them the wonder and excitement that science, technology, engineering and maths can bring and to encourage them to study and pursue these subjects to higher levels and in their careers, " he said.
BBC: NEWS | UK | Education | ?18m to inspire science students
Its report, whose publication Lord Adonis had called for, involved independent consultants reviewing syllabuses, question papers and marking schemes in English, French, maths and science.
First Florida started grading its schools from A to F, based on the proficiency and progress of pupils in annual reading, writing, maths and science tests.
In subjects such as English and history, the exams will test essay writing, while in maths and science there will be a greater focus on quantitative problem solving.
Yet an extensive study found that between the early 1970s and late 1990s American colleges produced more than enough graduates in science, technology, engineering and maths to meet demand.
And in Plowden's day, there was nothing like the Third International Maths and Science Study, published in 1996, which compared the abilities of more than 500, 000 pupils in 26 countries.
There will also be new teaching and research facilities for the university's engineering, business and economics, maths, and computer science departments as well as student residential accommodation.
The signatories of the curriculum letter, which include professors from Nottingham Trent, Leeds Metropolitan, Oxford and Bristol universities, said children would have to learn mountains of detail for English, maths and science without understanding it.
Pupils will specialise in engineering and science alongside other subjects such as English, maths, languages and business.
Wales again ranked lowest of the UK countries in terms of reading, maths and science ability.
But the same data did not give the overall figures for maths, science and English teacher posts.
Mr Andrews announced reforms after international assessments for reading, maths and science showed Welsh teenagers were falling behind.
BBC: Leighton Andrews outlines reforms for schools standards
It will buy textbooks for 16, 000 primary schools in the key subjects of Kiswahili, English, Maths and Science.
Alan Brown, director of education, said he was pleased with the results, which represented English, Maths and Science.
"We teach English, maths and science to all students because they are fundamental to understanding society, " she said.
In the English, maths and science tests, 67%, 76% and 87% of them achieved at least the expected level.
In 1997 America scored pathetic marks in an international maths and science test.
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