Schooled in the abacus

Maths teachers in Malaysia are all to receive "mental abacus arithmetic" (MAA) training in a move to elevate the level of maths and science across the country. More than 200 teacher trainers are being schooled in the process by experts who have been specially trained in China. After training 30 teachers from each state will take responsibility for training colleagues in their own districts. The move follows the outstanding success of children attending the 300 private MAA centres created in Malaysia.