Too many young people in Northern Ireland are still leaving school without any qualifications, according to a report published today.
In her second report on education in Northern Ireland, chief inspector of the Education and Training Inspectorate Marion Matchett said: "The gap between those achieving the highest and lowest levels of attainment is unacceptably wide, even while taking into account the circumstances occasioned by adverse social and other environmental factors."
She said although there were limits to what education and training could do to combat disadvantage, the gaps needed to be addressed through more effective management, better targeted teaching and learning, and by improving support arrangements.
A significant percentage of young people had problems with literacy and numeracy as they entered further education collages and vocational training, she said.
Ms Matchett said a multi-agency approach was needed to help schools in particularly challenging circumstances to support, motivate and retain disaffected and other young people.
"Schools cannot do everything on their own, they need the support of many agencies. Experience from inspection shows that a plethora of uncoordinated and poorly managed support can be more disruptive than helpful," she said.
PA