WE’RE going backwards.

School pupils in England are worse at reading and maths than their grandparents.

And they keep telling us standards are going up. That’s simply a lie, isn’t it?

So it’s especially humbling to listen to the passionate tones of 16- year-old Malala Yousafzai, who nearly died in her determination to get to school.

Meanwhile we, who have education handed to us on a plate and can hardly be bothered to make the most of it, are also sliding down the national league tables, with lower standards than at least 24 countries. Is it any wonder that so many families are in a mess?

If you can’t read very well and you can’t do your sums, then you’re a sitting duck in a world full of ripoff merchants, dodgy credit companies and all sorts of sharp businesses that blind you with figures, dazzle you with small print and have no qualms about taking you for a mug.

If we let our children out into the grown-up world without decent skills, then we’re just throwing them to the wolves. It’s why school matters, it’s why education matters.

And why it’s not a joke if you’re not good at maths – it could ruin your life.

The world is more complicated than ever. Our children need to be quicker, sharper and have their wits about them more than ever.

No wonder government minister Steve Webb said this week we shouldn’t pension off older workers - they’re probably the only ones who can read and add up properly.