§ John MannTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what targets he has set for raising educational aspirations among young people in the coalfields. [101576]
§ Mr. Ivan Lewis;No targets are set to measure educational aspiration. However, this Department has strategies that are aimed at helping to raise educational attainment in coalfield and other areas. In "14–9: opportunity and excellence" (published 21 January 2003), we outlined our plans to transform the learning experience between 14 and 19 so that young people have a greater choice and flexibility to follow coherent learning pathways that reflect their individual strengths and aspirations. W believe that increased choice and flexibility, and improved coherence and quality of programmes, will help to raise young people's aspirations and those of their parents and wider communities. To support delivery and give focus to our proposals for 14–19 reform, we have set ourselves targets to increase young people's participation and attainment in education. These are
compared with 2002. the proportion of 19-year-olds achieving 5 GCSE grades A* to C, or the equivalent vocational qualifications, will rise by 3 percentage points by 2004, and a further 3 percentage points by 2006;by 2010, 90 per cent. of young people by age 22 will have participated in a full-time programme fitting them for entry into higher education or skilled employment;by 2004 at least 28 per- cent. of young people will enter a modern apprenticeship by age 22.