Raising school leaving age

Interesting response by the UK Government to the growing problems of NEETS (highlighted on January 8th). It suggests that the school leaving age should be raised to 18.

However, if the right type of vocational courses are not put into place within our schools and colleges, will merely raising the school leaving age solve the problem for the 15 per cent of school leavers who are currently economically inactive?

Comments

MOTHER OF MANY said…

Education is already suffering from lack of funding and it would be interesting to see if this actually happens.I have a child with special needs and getting money out of Cardiff Council to fund her education is already like getting blood out of a stone.
It's all about money.
Where will the money come from to fund this new initiative!
Any ideas?
Aly

January 14, 2007 5:03 am

Anonymous said…

This is such a concern
How do they intend to educate those pupils who just barely manage to stay until 16?
Will they have a curriculum that meets 2007 plus needs?
What about the teachers who have to cope with young people forced to stay?
Would it not be sounder to leave the age where it is but make options more attractive and accessible for 16-18 and leave the choice up to them?
Education is not just sitting at a desk
Could that be called a start of democracy?

January 14, 2007 9:20 pm

Anonymous said…

Absolutely right. The problem that we have in education is that schools are not able to provide the comprehensive curriculum needed to meet all of their students' needs. Its an issue that needs to be highlighted.

January 21, 2007 12:27 pm

Professor Dylan Jones-Evans said…

Totally agree with these comments - certainly, Plaid Cymru's answer of more laptops in schools will not help to educate those pupils who are left abandoned by our educational system to a life of crime and inactivity. Let's get our educational system right first.

January 22, 2007 3:13 pm

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