According to figures from the Department for Education and Skills (DfES), the percentage of 16- to 18-year-olds not in education, employment or training (NEET) was 10 per cent at the end of 2004 - up from nine per cent in 2003. But recent Connexions figures suggested a 14 per cent drop in the proportion of NEET teenagers (YPN, 2-8 February, p2).
Carolyn Caldwell, executive director of the association, described the DfES figures as "bewildering". "It seems there is conflicting information arising from different methods of measuring NEETs," she said.
"But partnerships are confident about the accuracy of their data."
A DfES spokesman said the department was investigating the discrepancy.
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