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| Drop-out teens to get extra help | Drop-out teens to get extra help |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| The government is promising to sharply reduce the number of teenagers in England outside of work, education or training - currently 206,000. | The government is promising to sharply reduce the number of teenagers in England outside of work, education or training - currently 206,000. |
| The Schools Secretary, Ed Balls, has warned that teenage drop-outs without qualifications or training will be left behind by changes in the jobs market. | The Schools Secretary, Ed Balls, has warned that teenage drop-outs without qualifications or training will be left behind by changes in the jobs market. |
| The Queen's Speech on Tuesday will include plans to raise the school leaving age in England from 16 to 18. | The Queen's Speech on Tuesday will include plans to raise the school leaving age in England from 16 to 18. |
| An extra 90,000 apprenticeships will also become available. | An extra 90,000 apprenticeships will also become available. |
| "In today's fast changing, dynamic world, everyone needs skills to prosper," Mr Balls told the Fabian Society in a speech on Monday. | "In today's fast changing, dynamic world, everyone needs skills to prosper," Mr Balls told the Fabian Society in a speech on Monday. |
| "And the days where many people could leave school at 16 without qualifications and work their way up into a fulfilling and rewarding career are behind us." | "And the days where many people could leave school at 16 without qualifications and work their way up into a fulfilling and rewarding career are behind us." |
| 'Neet' answers | 'Neet' answers |
| International comparisons show that the UK has one of the worst records in the industrialised world for the proportion of 16-year-olds dropping out of education and training. | International comparisons show that the UK has one of the worst records in the industrialised world for the proportion of 16-year-olds dropping out of education and training. |
| STAYING ON 81.5% of 17-year-olds in education or training1.2m 16-17-year-olds in full-time education248,000 in work without training138,500 in work-based learning206,000 not in work, education or training | STAYING ON 81.5% of 17-year-olds in education or training1.2m 16-17-year-olds in full-time education248,000 in work without training138,500 in work-based learning206,000 not in work, education or training |
| And the problem of "Neets" (not in education, employment or training) has been stubbornly resistant to initiatives - and there is currently a higher proportion of the age group in this category than when the Labour government came to power in 1997. | |
| The numbers of these workless, untrained youths surged in the mid-1980s, reflecting high rates of unemployment. | |
| But despite improvements in the labour market and repeated drives to raise secondary school standards, the problem of Neets remained throughout the 1990s - and has seen an underlying increase since the late-1990s. | But despite improvements in the labour market and repeated drives to raise secondary school standards, the problem of Neets remained throughout the 1990s - and has seen an underlying increase since the late-1990s. |
| The government's latest strategy to reduce the number of Neets is a combination of carrot and stick. | The government's latest strategy to reduce the number of Neets is a combination of carrot and stick. |
| There will be more support for training - with more apprenticeships and an expansion of the educational maintenance allowance, which provides means-tested financial support to teenagers attending courses. | There will be more support for training - with more apprenticeships and an expansion of the educational maintenance allowance, which provides means-tested financial support to teenagers attending courses. |
| The current offer of a place in education or training for all 16-year-olds will be extended to 17-year-olds. | The current offer of a place in education or training for all 16-year-olds will be extended to 17-year-olds. |
| Personalised advice will be available from counsellors for those considered to be at risk of dropping out. | Personalised advice will be available from counsellors for those considered to be at risk of dropping out. |
| There will also be an attempt to make further education courses more flexible - with students able to begin in January as well as September. | There will also be an attempt to make further education courses more flexible - with students able to begin in January as well as September. |
| Leaving age | Leaving age |
| The leaving age for education will be raised, initially to 17 by 2013 and then to 18 by 2015 - with the threat of fines or community service for non-compliance. | The leaving age for education will be raised, initially to 17 by 2013 and then to 18 by 2015 - with the threat of fines or community service for non-compliance. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Until the kids see hope and a change in society, you can keep them in school till they are 65 - it won't make an ounce of difference Gary Higgins, Liverpool, UK Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY Until the kids see hope and a change in society, you can keep them in school till they are 65 - it won't make an ounce of difference Gary Higgins, Liverpool, UK Send us your comments |
| However, since 52% of Neets are aged 18, they would not necessarily be affected by the planned increase in the leaving age. | |
| The benefits system will also be changed to discourage young people from remaining as "long-term Neets". | The benefits system will also be changed to discourage young people from remaining as "long-term Neets". |
| Outside of employment and often with few qualifications, these teenagers have been linked to a cycle of disadvantage and social problems. | Outside of employment and often with few qualifications, these teenagers have been linked to a cycle of disadvantage and social problems. |
| This group has been difficult to reach - and Mr Balls says there is a need for more systematic intervention for such youngsters. | This group has been difficult to reach - and Mr Balls says there is a need for more systematic intervention for such youngsters. |
| "We need to intensify support so that long-term Neets are offered a way back into work or education. I look forward to a time when no young person will be long-term Neet," said Mr Balls. | "We need to intensify support so that long-term Neets are offered a way back into work or education. I look forward to a time when no young person will be long-term Neet," said Mr Balls. |
| The Conservatives' education spokesperson, Michael Gove, described the plans as a "gimmick" and a "badly thought out policy". | The Conservatives' education spokesperson, Michael Gove, described the plans as a "gimmick" and a "badly thought out policy". |
| "It will mean more disruptive children in schools and colleges, fewer jobs available for 16 to18 year olds, and an even wider gap between rich and poor," said Mr Gove. | "It will mean more disruptive children in schools and colleges, fewer jobs available for 16 to18 year olds, and an even wider gap between rich and poor," said Mr Gove. |