Fewer children leave school without a diploma

Tuesday 15 January 2013

The number of children leaving school without a diploma has fallen again, according to education ministry figures.

At the end of the 2012 school year around 36,000 children left school with no qualifications, a 6% drop on 2011 and half the number ten years ago.

Education minister Jet Bussemaker told the Nos television qualifications are crucial. 'It means a strong position in the jobs market and less change of being unemployed or becoming caught up in criminality,' she said.

The government wants to reduce the number of school drop-outs to a maximum 25,000 by 2016 by improving how absenteeism is dealt with and encouraging businesses to provide more work experience places.

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