Industry wants top pupils to study extra sciences

By Tim Castle

LONDON (Reuters) - The brightest schoolchildren should be required to study three sciences from the age of 14 to counter a shortage in suitably qualified employees, the leading industry body said on Monday.

"Three-fifths of the firms we talk to say they are having trouble recruiting people with skills in science, technology, engineering and maths," Richard Lambert, director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, told BBC radio.

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The government has promised that from September all 14-year-olds achieving a Level 6 score in national SATs tests will be entitled to study a triple science GCSE course, covering physics, chemistry and biology.

But the CBI said the 250,000 14-year-olds attaining the required SATS standard should be automatically opted-in for the three-sciences course.

"Some schools lack the specialist physics and chemistry teachers to deliver triple science, so the government would have to phase in the policy," the CBI said in a statement.

"But we hope that by 2013 all schools should have enough specialist teachers to operate it."

At present around 40 percent of 14-year-olds gain the necessary SATs level for triple science, but only 7 percent of students actually take this option.