{"id":55416,"date":"2015-03-19T11:41:43","date_gmt":"2015-03-19T11:41:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=ae80a69c72b1661cdaf14229d3b30ba9"},"modified":"2015-03-19T11:41:43","modified_gmt":"2015-03-19T11:41:43","slug":"press-release-teenagers-neet-numbers-hit-new-low","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=55416","title":{"rendered":"Press release: Teenagers NEET: numbers hit new low"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The number of 16- to 18-year-olds NEET<\/abbr> has fallen to its lowest level since comparable records began in 2011, figures reveal today (19 March 2015). <\/p>\n

The figures show the proportion of 16- to 18-year-olds NEET<\/abbr> has fallen by 0.6 percentage points to 4.7% in the last 12 months. <\/p>\n

This is the lowest level since comparable records began in 2011, with a total drop of 1.4 percentage points – equivalent to 24,000 people – over this 4-year period. <\/p>\n

There has been a continuing downward trend in young people NEET<\/abbr> since the government raised the participation age so that young people in England must continue in education or training beyond 16<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Only last month, data was published showing the number of 16- to 24-year-olds NEET<\/abbr> from October to December<\/a> had reached its lowest level since 2007.<\/p>\n

According to today\u2019s figures<\/a>, in 80% of local authorities the proportion of young people reported as NEET<\/abbr> has fallen compared with last year.<\/p>\n

The figures also show the number of 16- to 18-year-olds whose activity is \u2018not known\u2019 has also fallen, but the government will be contacting areas where the \u2018not known\u2019 are unacceptably high. <\/p>\n

Skills Minister Nick Boles said: <\/p>\n

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Equipping young people with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed is absolutely central to this government\u2019s long-term economic plan.<\/p>\n

I am therefore delighted at today\u2019s figures, which reinforce the recent evidence we saw of a return to NEET<\/abbr> levels not seen since before the economic crisis, and show that our long-term economic plan is working.<\/p>\n

There is more to do, however, and I would urge councils which don\u2019t have information on large proportions of their teenage population to do more to identify them and help them fulfil their potential.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The government has carried out a number of important reforms which benefit young people post-16, including: <\/p>\n