School's out, but only if you're aged 18

School's out, but only if you're aged 18 :

"'There are still some leaving at 15 years and one month who are going to long-term unemployment, who are getting into mischief with the law and we need to be doing something about engaging those children,' Mr Blair said."

We seem to value money rather than education. It's vocational training, adolescent kindergarten or edutainment. My friend's son is doing golf and will get SACE units. Some people get them for their part time jobs. Hardly education. Keeping them busy, I suppose. I think we need to commit to education and by the same token we have to acknowledge some kids can't sit on their bums all day, can't write all the time and can't survive that daily grind. Our expectations have to be clear as to what we want kids to aim for and learn at school. Within that we have to allow kids to get involved with some different types of things wother than sitting at a desk or computer writing. When my daughter went to art school she found out she could really have used more tech study skills and yet tech studies didn't consider the jewellery making, welding for sculpture, small tools types of courses and the sorts of skills you might need for installations. Kids used to leave at 15 for apprenticeships or bottom end office jobs. That doesn't seem to be the case. Kids need an education as well as things like sailing, golf, art installations, performing arts and what have you to give them a broad range of skills and interests. They could even start running some of the TAFE courses in schools if the students planned to go on with those sorts of courses. I know they do some certificate work. Universities don't seem to be able to get hold of thinkers. The country can't seem to get hold of skills...so adults need to sort this out and then expect!!