In addition to being at the forefront of news pages in the past year, the restructuring of the education system has secured a starring role across Scottish party manifestos in the lead up to the May 5 elections.

However, the ways in which parties have approached the issue are varied in their method as well as their quality. Labour’s contribution to the issue in their manifesto is positive in that it proposes the guaranteed availability of apprenticeships to anyone between the ages of 16 and 18, as well as a choice of vocational subjects for those entering secondary school. The increase in apprenticeships is long overdue, and the introduction of vocational subjects from age 11 seems like a positive step in placing vocational studies at the heart of the education system and removing the stigma of ‘failure’ that has, inexplicably, surrounded BTEC and Higher National students. The SNP has no mention of vocational studies at school level as such, instead placing emphasis (and funding) on a Youth Enterprise challenge, as well as increased apprenticeship and training placements. More concerning, however, is the Conservative proposal for children aged 14 to be allowed to leave school in order to pursue vocational training. Similar, if slightly less severe, is the Lib Dem proposal to permit 14 year olds to attend college to study a course of their choice. The problem with both these proposals can be reduced to the fact that, at age 14, most have little idea of the career they wish to pursue, mainly as a result of their school experience of subjects being unrepresentative of their actual nature at more  advanced levels. 

 It is significant that studying certain subjects for a limited number of  years (a particularly relevant example is foreign language), does not allow the student to progress to a level that is rewarding and worthwhile. This threshold is crossed, at minimum, at GCSE level, when it is possible to surpass the basics and reap the benefi ts of engaging with the subject. 

Of equal importance is the personal transformation children undertake between the ages of 14 and 16, which are vast. At such young ages,  priorities, interests and indeed work ethic are hardly set in stone. The Conservative proposal to allow children to leave school at 14 would effectively be robbing young students of these vital, formative years necessary in discovering where their interests lie. Limiting the options for 14 year olds, by allowing them to leave academic education so early on, is also likely to disadvantage students who have not been introduced to academic subjects in their home life.

Also necessary to consider is the likelihood of the policy being misused. School can be immensely unenjoyable for some at such an age and the possibility of troubled students dropping out of school in order to escape the environment, rather than to pursue a vocational interest, is both likely and problematic. Society needs students of vocational courses as much as academic courses, and children with a greater interest in vocational studies should be encouraged to pursue these routes and should be supported in equal measure to their Oxbridge-aspiring peers. However, the focus should be on off ering young people the most diverse range of opportunities to explore all educational avenues. Achieving this will give students the best possible chance of finding a field that best inspires them, in turn enabling them to be of greatest contribution to society.While it is positive that all major parties have educational restructuring in favour of vocational studies as a priority, it is the subtle differences between policies that will decide between whether students broaden their horizons or are restricted from discovering their interests.