Call to coerce kids back to school

A REPORT found those out of school for one year have a 65 per cent lower chance of returning than those who have just left school.

TOUGH measures to "coerce" early school leavers back in to education should be considered after a report found those out of school for one year have a 65 per cent lower chance of returning to study than those who have just left school.

Researchers investigated what happens to teenagers who leave school prematurely and what likelihood there is of them re-engaging in learning.

The University of Melbourne study, A Second Chance at Education for Early School Leavers, found the longer teenagers stay away from study, the less likely they are to return.

Lead author Cain Polidano said the study bolstered the case for "coercive measures" to make teenagers re-engage in study.

"Already the federal government requires some school leavers to return to education before they can claim income support," he said. "Similar measures should be considered to further encourage a return to study."

He said while schemes were linked to the welfare system they did nothing to force teens who were not welfare dependent to return to school.

The study found schools can play a role in providing high-quality career counselling to help youth find suitable career and post-school courses.

"This finding is based on results that show relatively high re-engagement rates among those who report leaving school for employment, or to commence a course that is not available in school, and among those who find career jobs after leaving school," it said.

Dr Polidano said hardline policies were crucial if the government was serious about achieving its target of 90 per cent of 20 to 24-year-olds holding a Year 12 equivalent qualification by 2015. The report questioned the effectiveness of simply lifting the age when teenagers are allowed to leave school as a means of encouraging further study.

"While keeping kids in school should be the first priority, the modest improvement in school completion rates since the mid-1990s underlines the importance of also having programs to encourage early school leavers to return to study," Dr Polidano said.

The report found females were roughly 20 per cent less likely to re-engage in formal education after leaving school, because they are not as willing to undertake vocational training courses. "VET is historically associated with preparing workers for male-dominated jobs," Dr Polidano said.