01/04/2010

Majority of young women go to college

Figures released this week show that for the first time ever the majority of young women are going to university. Entrance figures for 2008-09 show that 51% of young women entered Higher Education, the first time that figure has ever moved above the 50% mark. The figure for young men is 40%. In 1980 only 1 in 10 young women went into Higher Education.

After hearing the news Gerry said, "It's obviously good news that the majority of young women are going on into higher education but I want to see even more young people from places like Bradford going to university. We've made great progress over the last 13 years. In my constituency there has been a 40% increase in young people going to university since 1998, but I want that figure to be even higher. That means improving attainment levels in our secondary schools. We have some fantastic new schools in Bradford South thanks to the Government's Building Schools for the Future programme; at Tong, Buttershaw, Grange and plans to rebuild Queensbury and the new Appleton Academy in Wyke. Fantastic learning environments which will help prepare more of our young people for Higher Education."

In the latest Budget the Chancellor announced Government plans to fund an extra 20,000 HE places this year.