President Obama wants students to improve their math and science skills, he said November 23. President Obama said the key to meeting the world’s greatest challenges “will be reaffirming and strengthening America’s role as the world’s engine of scientific discovery and technological innovation. And that leadership tomorrow depends on how we educate our students today.”

American 15-year-olds rank 21st in science and 25th in math when compared to their peers around the world, and the administration seeks to improve those numbers by providing incentives to students and schools to strengthen their skills. Obama announced the launch of Educate to Innovate, an initiative in which private companies have contributed more than $260 million towards education efforts in these fields.

Obama also announced a new White House initiative: a science fair. Winners of national competitions in science and technology will be invited to the White House to show off their works.

“You know, if you win the NCAA championships, you come to the White House,” Obama said. “Well, if you’re a young person and you’ve produced the best experiment or design, the best hardware or software, you ought to be recognized for that achievement too.”