Education Minister Paul Givan has stated his plans to make it compulsory for young people in Northern Ireland to remain in education or training until the age of 18. Currently, the law allows young people to leave school at 16, which has been in place since 1972. Givan called it a “remnant of a manufacturing society.” According to estimates, around 14,000 young people, that is 7% of 16-24 year olds, in Northern Ireland do not engage in education, employment or training, costing the public sector an estimated £134m.
The young people would continue their education in either school, a Further Education (FE) College, or through an apprenticeship. Givan believes that participation in education beyond the age of 16 directly impacts the life chances of young people. He added that children’s backgrounds are still critical when it comes to their progressing to post-16 education. Givan intends to bring legislation forward and urged other parties to partner with him to make it a reality.
A high-level review of Northern Ireland’s education system backed raising the age at which a young person can leave education, stating that it is necessary to “not enabling young people to opt-out of education” after the age of 16 years. In England, young people must learn or train until they are 18 years old, while in the Republic of Ireland and Scotland, the minimum school-leaving age is 16. The interests of individuals or society are not well-served by allowing young people to opt-out of education at 16 years old, the review noted.
Ms.Mackel, a teacher from Northern Ireland, believes that the minister’s proposal is “good in theory” but that “a lot of the detail needs to be looked into.” While many young people dropout of school at 16 years old, some go on to apprenticeships that are not fully funded, causing them to leave. Therefore, she believes that funding for those in apprenticeships needs to be addressed. Finally, the minister intends to invest more finances in the field of special education needs, as well as school improvement
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