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Education Minister Paul Givan is set to make it compulsory for young people to stay in education or training until they are 18, BBC News NI understands. At present, young people in Northern Ireland can leave school at the age of 16. That has been the law since 1972.
Raising the age at which a young person can leave education was recommended in a major review of Northern Ireland's education system. Givan is expected to make a statement to the assembly responding to that review. The review recommended "raising the age of mandatory participation in education or training".
It said that was not the same as raising the school leaving age, as young people could continue their education in school, a Further Education (FE) College or start an apprenticeship. But it also said that "the interests of individuals nor society are well served by allowing young people to opt out of education" at the age of 16. Givan is now expected to move to make that recommendation law, BBC News NI understands.
That move will need support from other executive ministers. There are about 14,000 young people in Northern Ireland who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). According to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, that equates to about 7% of 16-24 year olds.
Separately, the cost to the public sector of young people who are classed as NEET has been estimated to be £134m. The school leaving age in Northern Ireland has been 16, by law, since 1972. In England, pupils have to study or train until they are 18, either going on to college or sixth form, an apprenticeship, or studying part-time while volunteering or working.
In Wales, a think-tank recently said young people should have to stay in education or training until they are 18. In the Republic of Ireland and Scotland, the minimum school leaving age is 16. In other European countries the school leaving age varies from 16 to 18.
It is not clear what stance the minister will take on other recommendations in the independent review, such as a move away from transfer tests to decide which post-primary schools children go to. The review called for all pupils to have a "learner profile" which would inform which post-primary school they should transfer to at age 11. It also said the number of pupils admitted to post-primary school using academic selection should be capped.
"Academic selection, along with division along religious/community lines, is the most controversial educational issue in Northern Ireland," the review said. Givan is expected to call for more funding for education, including in early years and for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN). The independent review said that many parents faced "a continuous struggle" in getting support for children with SEN.
"There is universal agreement that the current approach is not working," the review said. It said that there needed to be better support for children with SEN from an early age, and highlighted "the uncertainty and stress that arises when SEN learners transfer out of education". In England, the law states that there has to be an education plan for young people with special needs after they leave school until the age of 25.
But that is not the case in Northern Ireland. Some parents have been campaigning for Stormont to change the law to increase opportunities for pupils with SEN to continue in education or training after they leave school. Some special school principals have warned that their pupils face a "cliff edge" when leaving school.
The review also called for more effort to tackle the impact of poverty on educational achievement. But a scheme recently announced by the Department of Education (DE) to do that has been accused of 'punishing poverty.'.
