Speeches, etc.

Margaret Thatcher

Speech opening Kitson College

Document type: Speeches, interviews, etc.
Venue: Kitson College, Leeds
Source: Leeds Evening Post, 3 November 1971
Journalist: John Macaskie, Leeds Evening Post, reporting
Editorial comments: Exact time and place unknown.
Importance ranking: Minor
Word count: 295

Big need for jobs advice—Minister

School leavers today were more in need than ever before of advice and encouragement for their careers, said the Education Minister, Mrs. Margaret Thatcher, in a speech at Kitson College, Leeds, this afternoon.

She was speaking before laying the foundation stone of the £1,100,000 Park Lane College of Further Education.

The range of jobs was changing from year to year, even in some industries from month to month, she said.

The attitude that leaving school meant the end of education might have disastrous consequences for young people themselves and the country as a whole.

Good relations

Mrs. Thatcher said she was glad to learn that relationships between schools and colleges in Leeds were steadily improving.

“It is important that where there are these good relations they can be improved by becoming a formally accepted part of school and college life,” she said.

“Because of changing attitudes and changing needs, far more children are staying at school beyond the statutory leaving age.

“When the age is raised (next September) we hope to see more staying on in education beyond 16, whether at school or a further education college.

Courses at Park Lane College had impressed her by their relevance to social and educational needs of the city.

First was the special course for the mentally handicapped school leaver; this was particularly worthwhile in its aim to create an appropriate and stimulating environment.

Secondly, she was impressed by the experimental course for students with a potential ability to train for skilled employment but who were handicapped because their standard in English and arithmetic was limited.

Mrs. Thatcher said the fall in the number of people under 21 on day-release courses was a cause for concern.