September 2008 Archives

So kids starting secondary school this week will have to stay until they are 17 and the poor souls starting next year will have to stay until 18.

Lots of reasons have been give, better educated, more able to compete in a global market, learning skills and so on which has the usual Government spin - most of what they say has enough spin to drill through concrete.

Now to save employing an army of consultants at a cost of millions they can have my two pennyworth for free. Those who would have stayed in education to gain A levels of other qualifications with the school leaving age at 16, 15, 14 or whatever will continue to do so.

Those who would have left at the earliest opportunity to earn money, claim benefit or whatever will just increase the truancy figures or if forced into school will just become a disruption for everyone else.

The educational aspects and advantages will be minimal but at least it will reduce the number on the unemployment figures for a couple of years.