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Since 1972, the legal school leaving age in Northern Ireland has been 16.
Education Minister Paul Givan plans to require young people to continue in education or training until they are 18, BBC News NI understands.
Currently, young people in Northern Ireland can leave school at the age of 16. This has been the law since 1972.
A major review of Northern Ireland’s education system has recommended raising the age at which young people can leave education.
Jivan is expected to issue a statement to Parliament in response to the review.
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Jivan is expected to indicate his desire to change the curriculum and qualifications.
The review recommended “increasing the age for compulsory participation in education and training.”
The report said it was not the same as raising the school-leaving age, as young people could continue their education at school, further education (FE) colleges or start an apprenticeship.
But he also said: “It is in the interests of individuals and society to allow young people to opt out of education at the age of 16.”
BBC News NI understands that Givan is now expected to move towards enacting the advisory legislation. The move will require support from other executive ministers.
There are approximately 14,000 young people in Northern Ireland who are not in education, employment or training (NEETs).
According to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, this equates to around 7% of 16-24 year olds.
Separately, the cost to the public sector of young people classified as NEET is estimated to be £134 million.
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If a student chooses to leave school at the age of 16, they will be required to continue their education or training at an alternative educational institution or begin an apprenticeship.
Since 1972, the legal school leaving age in Northern Ireland has been 16.
In the UK, students must study or train until they are 18 and can either go on to university or sixth form, go on an apprenticeship, or study part-time while volunteering or working. It will be.
In Wales, a think tank recently announced that young people should continue in education and training until the age of 18.
In the Republic of Ireland and Scotland, the minimum age for leaving school is 16 years.
In other European countries, the school leaving age varies from 16 to 18 years.
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A Levels are a series of school leaving exams in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that determine students’ chances of gaining admission to their chosen university.
Educational choice is a ‘controversial issue’
It is unclear what stance ministers will take on the independent review’s other recommendations, such as moving away from transfer exams to determine where children go to school.
The review called for all students to have a “learner profile” that would tell them which higher education institution they should transfer to when they turn 11.
He also said there should be a cap on the number of students admitted to post-primary school through academic selection.
“Alongside division along religious and community lines, academic choice is the most controversial education issue in Northern Ireland,” the study said.
Current approach is ‘not working’
Jivan is expected to call for further funding for education, including for early years and children with special educational needs (SEN).
An independent review said many parents faced “ongoing difficulties” in obtaining support for their children with SEN.
“There is universal agreement that current approaches are not working,” the review says.
The report said children with SEN needed better support from an early age and highlighted the “anxiety and stress that arises when SEN learners transition from school to school”.
In the UK, the law requires young people with special needs to have an education plan from the time they leave school until they are 25 years old.
But that is not the case in Northern Ireland.
Some parents are campaigning for Stormont to change the law to give pupils with SEN more opportunities to continue their education and training after leaving school.
Some special needs school principals have warned that students face a “cliff” when they leave school.
The review also calls for further efforts to address the impact of poverty on educational performance.
But to that end, the Department of Education’s (DE) recently announced plans have been criticized as “punishing poverty”.
