An
increasing number of large companies say school leavers are joining them with a
poor command of the three Rs.
Some
young people’s maths and english is so bad that firms are having to
fork out for remedial classes, according to the CBI employers’ body. It says a
significant amount of the £23bn per year spent on training pays for school
leavers to learn basic maths and grammar.
The
annual CBI-Pertemps
employment trends survey shows that 83 per cent of companies want the
Government to focus on ensuring young people are able to read, write and add up
properly.
The
survey shows that 37 per cent of employers were dissatisfied with school
leavers’ english
and maths abilities, up from 34 per cent in 2003.
The
group is also sceptical about proposals to replace A-levels and GCSE
qualifications with a new-style diploma.
CBI
director-general Digby
Jones said: "Too many school leavers are failing to make the business
grade. The education system is letting down many young people and leaving them
unprepared for work.
"Employers
are left to pick up the pieces and the bill, with many resorting to basic
training to compensate for the shortcomings of the education system that they
have already paid for through increased business taxation," he said.
