SCHOOL LEAVING AGE STANDS AT 16 YEARS

The school leaving age will remain at 16 years next year, Education Minister Wyatt Creech said today.

The National Government announced in 1995 that it planned to increase the school leaving age to 17 years from 1 January 1998 to coincide with the full implementation of the National Qualifications Framework.

"The planned increase of the school leaving age to 17 years from next year has been deferred. We will instead put more energy and resources into improving the responsiveness of schools so that students benefit from staying at school longer," Mr Creech said.

The prime reason for increasing the school leaving age was to ensure all students received a solid foundation for continued learning and future employment, especially for those who were leaving school early with low education qualifications.

"We still have the same aim. But the decision defers the change while more work is done to develop programmes to improve the educational results for students currently at school - especially for those with extra needs," Mr Creech said.

"In addition the National Qualifications Framework has not yet been fully implemented. The National Qualifications policy is still under development. I have just released a Green Paper consultation document to help shape future qualifications policy. Submissions on the Green Paper close in September.

"It is therefore premature to raise the school leaving age to 17 at this stage."

Mr Creech said future decisions about the school leaving age would be communicated to schools and parents well in advance of any changes being made.