LONDON, April 19 (UPI) -- Britain's education minister has announced an initiative that will pay some grade 12 students up to $50 per week to stay in school, Sky News reported Monday.
Announcing the launch of the program, Charles Clarke said at a news conference Britain has one of the highest drop-out rates for students over the age of 16.
In pilot projects, attendance of 16-year-old boys rose by 6.9 percent while participation for 16-year-old girls increased by 5.9 percent, the report said.
The education ministry estimates 353,000 of the total 666,000 16-year-olds in Britain would be eligible for Education Maintenance Allowances in 2004 and 2005.
Pilot schemes have been carried out in 56 local education authorities since 1999 and involved 120,000 grade 12 students largely from economically deprived areas.
Students who live in a home where income is $52,000 or less will be eligible for the payments, which will vary between $18 and $50 a week.
