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18% of UK high schoolers don't study or work
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by Rob Peters | July 21, 2008 at 09:55 am
485 views | 12 Recommendations | 6 comments
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And I thought I was a slacker in high school for not having a job, but I haven't got anything on these 'Neets'--teenagers neither in employment, education, or training. According to the latest stats they're a big problem in the UK, with nearly a fifth of 16 and 17-year-olds falling into that category.
In my view the appropriate time for periods of idleness is the mid-twenties, ideally after college. These kids simply aren't mature enough for proper slacking.
Does anyone else find the "Neet" acronym inappropriately euphemistic?
Nearly one in five UK 16 and 17-year-olds is a Neet - neither in employment, education or training - a study seen by the BBC suggests.
Official figures say such youths make up 7% of their age group in England.
But research by the London School of Economics (LSE) says 18% across the UK spend most of their time doing nothing.
Children's Minister Beverley Hughes said: "We are making preparations now for every young person of 16 to 17 to be in education or training."
'Narrowly focused'
Official figures take into account any work or training by young people over several weeks - no matter how limited.
But the LSE's researchers based their analysis on what teenagers spend most of their time doing - putting the number of Neets at 18% of 16 and 17-year-olds across the UK.
The September Guarantee is an offer, by the end of September, of a place in learning to young people completing compulsory education. The guarantee was implemented nationally in 2007.
The guarantee is being extended to 17 year olds in 2008 to give those who enrol on one year or short courses, or who leave the activity they chose when leaving school, further opportunities to engage in learning.
This is an important element of the Department’s strategies for reducing the proportion of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), increasing participation, and attainment at age 19.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (6)
at 17:00 on July 21st, 2008
Rob Peters, I like this story. It's good stuff. And this is news to parents here in BC? Hell this is news to most Parents? hahaha
at 01:26 on July 22nd, 2008
Eleven years of British socialism has basically destroyed opportunity for most youths in the UK. Social mobility is going backwards, many youths have completely dropped out of society and the economy, and just trade drugs and rob to make a living. Who needs to hire a mouthy, slack-minded British youth to do a job, when you can hire some guy from Poland with two degrees and a hunger to get ahead? That's the reality of it. Bring on Clockwork Orange! The future is not bright, the future is Clockwork Orange.
at 07:31 on July 22nd, 2008
Rob Peters, I like this story. It's good stuff. Bring back conscription for youth neither in employment, education or training.
at 17:13 on July 22nd, 2008
I don't think we can blame the youth for their lack of motivation. We have protected them from every possible disappointment throughout their lives, and now they are seeing that everything isn't as rosy as they were led to believe. We are reaping what we have sown.
Mary T. has contributed a photo to this story.
at 17:47 on July 22nd, 2008
Much better analogy Mary
at 19:03 on July 22nd, 2008
Rob Peters, I like this story. It's good stuff.
From 2001-2003 I used to teach 16-19 year olds in an inner City school in Nottingham. At that time they were paying the students the equivalent of $80 a fortnight to come to school as an incentive. I had students in my classes who were unable to read or write. They would turn up high and I witnessed more pregnancy and stabbing related incidents than I care to remember. I left teaching and then spent a couple of years running a government run program aimed at encouraging this age group into being more entrepreneurial. Thatcher had abolished all of the vocational training programs and they were trying to introduce the idea that not everyone is academically minded back into the school system. I go back and visit when I am in the UK and am usually horrified at the developments. The teachers in the UK have a thankless task in my opinion. They work incredibly hard but are given little power to do anything. Also the current system and curriculum is not allowing students to think for themselves, rather spoon feeding them. Its a shame when you consider there are so many people in the third world longing for a good education.