Dame Julia Higgins, who chairs the Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education, said all students should study maths until the age of 18.

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We believe all students should study English and maths to age 18 and get a quality work experience placement, an entitlement the government has ended.

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They also recommend that students should study a wider range of subjects, following the example of Singapore where students who study arts or humanities must also take a maths or science subject.

BBC: New qualification to boost post-16 maths numbers urged

Stanford's Graduate School of Business MBA admissions director Derrick Bolton says the network that exists between former students is powerful but it should not be the primary reason that students decide to take up post-graduate study.

CNN: Network a valued study by-product

The Royal Society said whatever changes were made to the Scottish education system, it should continue to give students the breadth needed to study science and mathematics alongside other subjects.

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Combining part time study with work should be a common experience for many students at this level.

UNESCO: Papua New Guinea: Report: Part III: Prospects

And both China and the West should be offering the North's bureaucrats and students every possibility to visit or study abroad.

ECONOMIST: North Korea