Obama wants games in schools

US President Barack Obama has unveiled a new education initiative to be rolled out across America which will see commercial games like LittleBigPlanet used in schools as part of an effort to increase interest in science, IT and platforming maths.

The Educate to Innovate scheme is set to cost $4 billion USD and is heavily supported by Sony, Microsoft and the Entertainment Software Association. Sony in particular have been singled out by Obama as an "industry leader", with LittleBigPlanet being the game at the forefront of the initiative.

"I'm committed to moving our country from the middle to the top of the pack in science and math education over the next decade," Obama said in an official statement, according to Gamasutra.

LittleBigPlanet is set to host a new Game Changers competition which will challenge gamers to create levels that showcase interesting new science, maths and engineering ideas.

"We're thrilled by the opportunity to participate and support the Game Changers challenge announced today," said Sony boss Jack Tretton. "It casts a huge spotlight on the innovative medium that is videogames and digital entertainment."

"It also embodies for us what we see everyday: amazing things can happen when you provide the right tools and environment, combine it with great technology and put it in the hands of really creative people."

Let us know your thoughts in the forums.