LAUD THOSE WHO EXCEL BUT WE MUST NOT IGNORE THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING LEFT BEHIND
23/08/07 | 10:44
David Frost, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said:
“Whilst those who have achieved excellent results today will be quite rightly lauded we must not forget those who are in danger of being left behind. Around half will not have achieved 5 GCSEs at grades A*-C, the minimum number of qualifications the Government says is needed to function in the workplace.
“The rate of unemployed school leavers aged 16 to 17 years old has now risen to 27%, the highest figure in over a decade. Clearly our education system is letting young people down and setting them on a path of poor employment prospects.
“In our survey of businesses, 57% said they do not think the quality of school leavers has improved over the last five years. 61% do not think that the current education system provides individuals with an adequate grounding to work in modern-day Britain.
“80% of our members believe that the introduction of specialised diplomas, reflecting key sectors of the economy, would address the current problems. Diplomas should include academic and vocational routes of learning so that they prepare young people for working life and we don’t end up with a generation of young people whom the system has failed.”
ENDS
MEDIA CONTACT:NOTES TO EDITORS:The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is the National Voice of Local Business.
The BCC sits at the heart of a powerful nationwide network of Accredited Chambers of Commerce serving business across the UK, which employ over five million people.