THE education system is failing to prepare people adequately for careers based on lifelong learning and is not sufficiently responsive to the long term needs of students and enterprise, the Forfas report says. In a critique of Irish education similar to that delivered by the Culliton report and others, Forfas says the system does not recognise sufficiently its role in enhancing the competitiveness of the economy.

It recommends a wide variety of reforms to build up internationally competitive skills through improved education and training. Both government and private business should spend more on training, more emphasis is needed on technology and language courses, and the level of applied post graduate research should be increased.

The report suggests aptitude tests should be introduced to supplement the points system for entry to third level education. In this way, people would be better matched to courses.

Low educational participation and attainment is helping to create an "unemployable underclass", the report also warns.

The proportion of young people taking the Leaving Certificate should be increased from the present level of 80 per cent to 90 per cent in the year 2000.

To achieve this, the school leaving age should be raised progressively from 15 to 17.