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The government has launched a review of the primary and secondary school curriculum, examining what core facts schools should be taught.
As part of a "slimmed-down" national curriculum, history and geography lessons will emphasise learning facts and figures as part of the new back-to-basics system.
Education secretary Michael Gove launched the review after previously raising concerns that key areas of knowledge had been missing from the present "overly-prescriptive system" introduced under the Labour government.
He said the country needs to reform its curriculum to stop future generations falling behind on the global stage.
Once completed, the new National Curriculum for England and Wales will come into effect in 2013.
A panel of headteachers and academics will set work on the review today, forming a new version of the curriculum that will look at best practice internationally.
Speaking to Radio 4's Today programme, the education secretary said he wanted to see a curriculum that does not tell teachers "how to teach, it tells them what to teach".
He denied that he would be introducing "prescriptive lists" of names and dates.
"I'm saying that we need to have facts in the curriculum. I want there to be core curriculum content - facts, knowledge. I want teachers to decide what that is.
"Parents need to know what children are learning, both so they can hold schools to account and so they can play their proper part in helping."
Shadow education secretary Andy Burnham said: "It is a strange message indeed in this day and age to say it's OK to do Latin but not ICT.
"Parents, teachers and businesses know that alongside solid academic study, young people need technical and social skills to succeed in the workplace and in life.
"Labour had made changes to focus the curriculum, with English and maths showing significant improvements.
"Take-up of single sciences increased significantly in recent years as a result of Labour policies."
Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said that schools should be able to set their own curriculums.
She told the Today programme: "The fact is, we know that children and young people are successful.
"Some children leave school with qualifications that Michael Gove doesn’t recognise, but the fact is, generally speaking, people are very successful.
"What we need is a comprehensive, good local school for every child."
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