Legislation will be introduced to ensure all young people in Northern Ireland remain in education or training until they are 18, Paul Givan has told the Assembly.
The Education Minister also said he wanted to begin a conversation on the future of qualifications in the region, which he said needed to “remain comparable with the rest of the United Kingdom”.
Mr Givan was delivering his departmental response to the recommendations and findings of the Independent Review of Education in Northern Ireland.
The report last year made 25 key recommendations, underpinned by a further 106 areas for action, including investment in early years provision, reform of the curriculum and the qualifications system.
Education Minister Paul Givan announced his plans for educational reforms to the NI Assembly (Liam McBurney/PA)
Mr Givan told MLAs on Monday he had accepted almost all of the recommendations.
He said too many young people in Northern Ireland affected by poverty “continue to leave education both under-skilled and under-qualified”.
The minister said: “Subject to Executive agreement, I will legislate to ensure that all children remain in education or training until they are 18 years old.”
At present, young people in Northern Ireland can leave school at the age of 16.
Mr Givan added: “Participation in education beyond the age of 16 directly impacts upon life chances of young people.
“Regrettably, a young person’s background remains a key factor in whether they progress to post-16 education.
“Compulsory education or training, ending at 16, is a remnant of a manufacturing society with many unskilled jobs that no longer exists.
“Jobs today require high levels of skill and education.
“By mandating education or training until 18, we can create a minimum offer for all young people, particularly our most vulnerable.”
Mr Givan continued: “This is a commitment to our young people and our future and I ask all parties to work with me to make it a reality.”
The minister said in the coming weeks he would publish a strategy setting out his plans in detail for education transformation.
He said this would include reform in the areas of assessment, qualifications and school improvements.
He told MLAs he had already commissioned a curriculum review to examine design and delivery and said there would be a new literacy and numeracy strategy for Northern Ireland.
The minister also announced a review of arrangements to assess pupils’ progress throughout their time in education.
He also said he wanted to “begin a wide-ranging conversation on the future of our qualification system”.
Mr Givan said: “We need to ensure qualifications are accessible, fit for purpose, easily understood by pupils, parents and employers and remain comparable with the rest of the United Kingdom.
“I will refine and improve accountability measures to remove perverse incentives for schools to enter pupils into low-value qualifications and instead reward schools for providing all pupils with a stretching curriculum.”
Mr Givan said the Independent Review of Education in Northern Ireland had identified an annual gap of £155 million to address the per-pupil funding gap with England and Wales and a further £136 million shortfall related to higher levels of learners with a statement of educational need.
He said: “Real-term cuts over recent years have had a lasting and detrimental impact on our young learners.
“I am determined to reverse the legacy of historic underfunding.
“Investment in the education sector is crucial to building a prosperous and sustainable future.
“It is the foundation of all economic, social and political development.
“As an Executive and Assembly, we are not just investing in the present but securing the future for generations to come.”
He added: “Education is the cornerstone of our society. It shapes the future of all of our children, our communities and our economy.
“It is time to invest in a better future. Children and young people deserve nothing less.”
The SDLP’s Cara Hunter called for more information about the minister’s plans (Liam McBurney/PA)
SDLP MLA Cara Hunter said there had been “scant mention” by the minister of many of the recommendations of the independent review.
She said: “We have a crisis around special educational needs (SEN), including education for those aged 19+, but the minister only offered warm words today and no concrete proposals.
“There was also not a single mention of integrated education, Irish medium schools or how the minister intends to address issues around relationship and sexuality education (RSE) or spiralling childcare costs.
“There was also little in the way of plans to support children living in poverty or suffering poor mental health.”
Ms Hunter added: “The minister must come before the Education Committee and properly address our concerns.”