Teenagers to take GCSE Maths and English until they pass

Students who fail GCSEs for these subjects will be forced to continue studying them starting this term.

13:38 02 September 2013

The days when pupils are allowed to drop their English and Math subjects without gaining a qualification for them will soon be over. This would mean that hundreds of thousands of students who are now in school and college will have to study the aforementioned subjects until they reach the age of 18.

Education Secretary Michael Gove says that the education reform will help ensure that young people will improve these skills; the same skills that employers demand before all others. This move is expected to improve the students’ success in finding suitable jobs in the future.

Prof Alison Wolf, who put forward the importance of improving these skills in said: "Good English and Maths grades are fundamental to young people's employment and education prospects."

"Individuals with very low literacy and numeracy are severely disadvantaged in the labour market."

Meanwhile, head teachers who support the move, admit that implementing it could cause genuine confusion. Brian Lightman, leader of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "There is still genuine confusion about the announcement today and what the new policy means, on the day that schools and colleges are supposed to start implementing it.”