- Alan Milburn, the government's adviser on youth unemployment, has criticised the school system for being "exam-obsessed" and failing to adequately prepare young people for adult life and work.
- His comments follow a YouGov survey of 1,004 UK teachers, revealing that 74 per cent believe there is too much emphasis on passing exams.
- The survey also found that 73 per cent of teachers felt there was insufficient focus on preparing students for employment or developing 'soft skills'.
- Milburn, who is leading a government review into young people and work, highlighted that 66 per cent of teachers reported a decline in overall work readiness among students.
- The review aims to address the rising number of young people not in employment, education, or training (NEET), which reached 957,000 between October and December 2025.
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