30 March 2007
Criminalising young people who refuse to participate in post-16 education and training would be counter-productive, teaching unions have warned.
The raising of the school leaving to 18 was announced by Chancellor Gordon Brown in the Budget. This was followed up with a green paper the next day, which set out detailed proposals for consultation.
Ministers want all young people to remain in some form of education or training until their eighteenth birthday, requiring them to work towards accredited qualifications at school, in college or in 'on the job' training.
But the green paper, published by Education Secretary Alan Johnson on March 22, also contained a proposal to issue attendance orders to young people who refuse to comply with the programme. The order could, if broken, lead to criminal proceedings.
Alan Gotch, policy officer with the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, told Public Finance the proposal sent out the wrong sort of message to young people.
'In theory, everyone having some kind of education and training to 18 is a noble aspiration and a good idea, but we don't really think that coercion is the way to do it,' he said.
'If you want people to be engaged with what they're doing and get the benefit from them, you don't start by telling them there's going to be a court order if they don't do it.'
Steve Sinnott, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, agreed that the green paper set out the wrong type of approach. 'Criminalising young people is no way to ensure committed involvement. It will serve only to alienate and undermine any desire disaffected young people may feel towards continuing their education,' he said.
The business community said the move was a necessary step. CBI director general Richard Lambert stressed that unemployment must not be an option for teenagers.
'The success of this initiative will rely on getting the details right. Many firms already offer good on-the-job training and we need to ensure the qualifications systems captures this,' he said.
Launching the green paper, Johnson said: 'Those young people who continue in education or training for longer earn more, and are less likely to be involved in antisocial behaviour. Often those who drop out are those with the most to gain from continuing to learn and gain useful skills. We must not allow young people to be left behind.'
PFmar2007
