Mike Baker examines Government plans for raising the education leaving age to 18, aimed at tackling the problem of young people not in education or employment.
New plans detail how young people can continue their education beyond 16 by enrolling in either schools, colleges, with private training providers or in the workplace.
While Government projections show some increase in the proportion staying on at school the much bigger increases will be at FE colleges and in work-based learning.
There is a duty on young people to participate and a duty on parents to assist their children to stay on in education, as well as duties on employers to release young people from training, and on school and colleges to inform authorities if young people drop out.
In order too encourage young people to participate in courses, the Government plan to offer Education Maintenance Allowances. If they don't participate they could be issued with an Attendance Notice and if they consistently show poor attendance, they could be sent to a Youth Court.
Note that the contents of this programme may no longer reflect current Government policy
