18 January 2008
Proposals to require young people to stay in education or training until they are 18 should demand more of employers, head teachers said this week.
The Association of School and College Leaders said the Education and Skills Bill did not go far enough in placing a duty on employers to ensure that 16 and 17-year-olds remain in education or training.
ASCL general secretary John Dunford said: 'For the government to be successful in raising the participation age, employers must be actively engaged with colleges, schools and other learning providers.
'It is not right that businesses which employ young people on half-time contracts should be exempt from the duty to take account of their training needs. In addition, the Bill fails to place a requirement on employers to release young workers for education courses or training in normal working hours.'
The Bill, which will raise the education leaving age to 17 by 2013 and to 18 by 2015, received its second reading in the Commons on January 14. Children, Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls described it as a landmark piece of legislation.
'Raising the education participation age is not just about economic strength, it is about social justice,' he said. 'Fewer than half of the people with no qualifications are in work. Young people who leave education or training at 16 are disproportionately from poor families and those who stay in education are more likely to gain further qualifications and earn more.'
A Right-of-centre think-tank also took the opportunity this week to warn that the measure could be counter-productive. A Policy Exchange report said the government had 'ludicrously overestimated' the benefits of raising the school leaving age, but underestimated the costs.
Diminished returns, published on January 14, claimed employers would be alienated by the red tape involved and stop hiring young people. Report author Alison Wolf said: 'The policy will almost certainly have a serious, negative impact on the job market for young people… the large majority of young people are employed in the private sector, by small and medium-sized companies who cannot afford to have employees disappearing on day release, or not available for sections of the day.'
But Belinda Webb, a spokeswoman for the Federation of Small Businesses, told Public Finance that businesses wanted to be more involved in education and training and were happy with the level of regulation.
PFjan2008
