CBI urges govt to target underperformance

News Article - 23 May 2012
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The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has urged the government to act on students' "underperformance" in subjects such as English and maths on GCSE level.

The organisation said businesses will welcome the government's announcement that an independent qualification and exam standards regulator is set to be created.

"Employers need to have confidence that high standards are being maintained," commented CBI director of HR policy Susan Anderson.

The new system will leave Qualifications and Curriculum Authority free to focus on what Ms Anderson called "the issues that really matter to employers".

She said the key issue for companies is not rising numbers of A grades being attained, but the fact that half of young people fail to achieve a C or above in English and maths at GCSE level.

"Tackling this underperformance must remain the government's number one priority," Ms Anderson said.

According to the CBI spokesperson, the QCA should ensure the curriculum serves to develop literacy and numeracy skills and "making sure that the high quality training employers provide receives recognition within the qualification system".

The CBI is the UK's "premier lobbying organisation" for business on national and international issues, according to its website.

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