The NSW government will make maths compulsory for year 11 and 12 students under a plan to ensure school graduates have key numeracy skills, but has stopped short of making it mandatory for the HSC.

Maths experts applauded the move but said schools faced a dire shortage of specialist teachers and warned that years of careful teacher recruitment and training was needed to turn the promise into reality.

Mathematics will be made compulsory for students in years 11 and 12.

Others called on the government to make maths a requirement for the Higher School Certificate, saying there has been a major drop in interest since NSW stopped forcing HSC students to study a maths or science subject in 2001.

Maths is compulsory to year 10. This move would extend mandatory classes to years 11 and 12, but there is no timeline yet, or explanation of what kind of maths classes non-HSC students would be required to take.