Should compulsory school age be raised? PM looks forward to public debate

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said on Sunday that he looked forward to a public debate on raising compulsory school age so that the young could be better prepared for the challenges of the future.
He told a Labour political conference in Mosta that the issue is being discussed within the government.
Some countries have raised the compulsory school age to 17 or 18, he observed, but this was not an easy decision.

In his view, Dr Muscat said, there was a strong argument in favour, but there needed to be proper preparation, not least among employers because of a temporary shortage of labour which could mean a bigger need for foreigners. The needs of low-income families who might depend on the salaries of those who left school at 16 also needed to be considered.
At the opening of his address, Dr Muscat said the government’s point of departure had been economic growth because, ultimately, good intentions could not be realised without funding. 
The Labour government was not satisfied solely with growing the economy, but it wanted to make sure that it translated into a higher standard of living. In education, he said, a silent revolution was taking place. 
The former government focused...