Manufacturers have been approached to see if they can introduce an element of education to their products, said Mr Blunkett.

Such educational games would be of particular value for boys, who might be drawn by the mix of learning and playing on computers.

"We know that you have to make it fun. It's no good just saying, it's good for you," said Mr Blunkett.

While the government has launched such information technology projects as the National Grid for Learning, it sees computer games as an example of how software can appeal to young people.

The government wants schools to make greater use of computers and information technology and wants to connect every school in the United Kingdom to the internet.

But the call to games manufacturers is an attempt to find ways of developing software that can use entertainment to make a greater educational impact.