Business helps education

The CBI has released a report urging political leaders to use education reform to enable economic growth. The First Steps report recommends that the study of maths and English should be made compulsory for all students until the age of 18 and says that greater employer involvement is needed in careers provision.

CBI Northern Ireland Director Nigel Smyth commented that “when recruiting young people, firms look above all else for the right attitudes and behaviours … our young people need to learn resilience, enthusiasm, curiosity and creativity.”

According to the report, all schools should offer separate sciences as an option for GCSE and computing should become a core subject.

It also recommends that all qualifications across the UK become directly comparable and equally valued.

Speaking at the launch of the report, Education Minister John O’Dowd said: “There is no doubt that employers can assist and collaborate in the delivery of education so that young people are enabled to get on in life after leaving school.”