The program, which uses the "More Brain Training with Dr. Kawashima" game for the Nintendo DS hand-held console, follows a Scottish study that found playing 20 minutes of the game before school helped children improve math test scores by up to 10 percent, The Times of London reported Friday.

"The initial pilot project that used the Nintendo DS and Dr. Kawashima produced fascinating results," Derek Robertson, a development officer for games-based learning at Learning and Teaching Scotland, the agency responsible for curriculum development in the country.

"Not only was there a marked and significant improvement in attainment in mental maths but there was also an improvement in concentration levels, behavior and self regulation in the learning process," he said.

The 16 schools, located in the Western Isles, Dundee, East Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire, are scheduled to test the program for 10 weeks.