‘More US youths dropping out of school’

More American teenagers have decided to forego traditional high school education with their peers, while opting for a General Educational Development (GED) certificate, new report shows.

According to a 2011 report by the GED Testing Service, about 25 percent of GED test-takers in the United States are between the ages of 16 and 18 years old, and have opted out of graduating with their peers in order to receive a GED, the Washington Post reported on Monday.

œIt™s always a concern when young people are leaving school prior to graduation in large numbers,” said Patricia Tyler, director of adult education and literacy services for Maryland™s Department of Labor.

Tyler added that teenagers are dropping out of high school mainly because their home lives are unstable or because of poor health or pregnancy.

Research shows that fewer GED test-takers go on to earn higher education degrees, while faring the same in the workplace as those who failed the exam.

It is estimated that 1.3 million students drop out of high school every year in the United States, where high school graduation rates ranked 19th in the world.

GMA/SS