David Cameron: Teachers unions 'dismissing the life chances' of children by saying they can look up times tables on mobiles

Under the new plans pupils will be expected to know all tables up to 12x12, with the skill measured using an "on-screen check" examination to be piloted by 3,000 students in 80 schools this summer before being rolled out countrywide in 2017.

Speaking in Islington, north London, Mr Cameron said: "Dismissing knowledge is, frankly, dismissing the life chances of our children.

"Frankly, that is exactly what people like the general secretary of the NUT are doing when they say children don't need to learn their times tables because they can use their phone instead. That is utterly the wrong thinking.

"All the things knowledge helps infuse – innovation, creativity, problem solving – are the qualities our employers want."

The Prime Minister used a keynote speech to launch a major campaign to encourage high-flying mentors to pass on their experiences to youngsters at risk of dropping out of school.

He also defended controversial education reforms and outlined proposals to encourage saving as part of his plan to "rescue a generation from poverty".

Mr Cameron praised the Tiger Mothers, who push their children to succeed and whose "battle hymn is all about: work, try hard, believe you can succeed, get up and try again."

He said it was "the precise opposite of the 'all must have prizes' culture", he said, insisting that "children thrive on high expectation".

Mr Cameron promised an "all-out assault on poverty" and said Britain’s 100 worst “sink” estates will be demolished in a major new drive to stamp out gang culture and deprivation.

Source: http://telegraph.feedsportal.com/c/32726/f/579309/s/4ccfdda2/sc/33/l/0L0Stelegraph0O0Ceducation0C120A938680CDavid0ECameron0ETeachers0Eunions0Edismissing0Ethe0Elife0Echances0Eof0Echildren0Eby0Esaying0Ethey0Ecan0Elook0Eup0Etimes0Etables0Eon0Emobiles0Bhtml/story01.htm