Members of the Youth Parliament (MYPs) aged 11 to 19 also voted against a rise in tuition fees and said troops should not be removed from Afghanistan by 2012. They agreed sex and relationships education should be improved and transport subsidies for young people should be protected.
The five issues were debated during the one-day sitting chaired by John Bercow, the House of Commons speaker. MYPs were joined by parliamentarians throughout the day, including Lord Prescott and minister for further education John Hayes.
MYP Mohammad Abbas spoke for the motion on the school leaving age.
"Is it fair for a school leaver to be told that 490,000 jobs are being cut?" he said. "It's much better for that young person to have another two years in education. But they don't have to be academic years — there are many alternatives to A levels which provide more practical experience and a qualification."
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