§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of(a) female and (b) male children leave school at 16 in Northern Ireland, broken down into local authority areas; and if he will make a statement. [3659]
§ Mr. WorthingtonThe information requested is as follows:
Percentage of 16-year-old pupils leaving school in 1994–95 (expressed as a proportion of all pupils in year 12) Per cent. Education and Library Board Female Male Belfast 25 42 Western 50 61 North-eastern 50 69 South-eastern 54 66 Southern 46 62 It should be pointed out that many young people who leave school at 16 enter further education. in 1995–96 the proportion of 16 and 17-year-olds in full-time education (at school or FE college) in Northern Ireland was 71 per cent., and the proportion of young people entering full-time higher education by the age of 21 was 40 per cent.