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MSPs row over school-leaver jobs as the poorest turn their backs on higher education

Higher education
Scottish Labour has attacked the SNP government for failing to provide enough jobs or training for school-leavers, while figures showing a record number of young people in higher education are marred by a widening disparity between wealthy and deprived ar

Labour leader Johann Lamont said about 7,000 school-leavers without jobs had not yet found places on education or training courses and 17,000 school-leavers had disappeared from official records.

Ministers do not know what the youths “are doing”, she told First Minister’s Questions last week.

“The First Minister promised that no young person would be left behind. He cuts college funding,” Ms Lamont said.

However, Mr Salmond, the first minister, insisted there had been “substantial progress” on youth unemployment, and the total of those out of work had fallen by a third in Scotland.

“During the most difficult economic climate, we have hugely increased the number of Apprenticeships,” he said.

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