An expert has criticised students for taking their upper secondary school diploma just for the sake of it, describing the practice as a waste of young people’s time and society’s money.

According to a study by the union Djøf,  a quarter of the 27,961 students who graduated in 2000 did not continue their studies after graduating from gymnasium, the Danish high school. This is equivalent of about six students from each class, writes Politiken.

And Wenche Marit Quist, a research and education policy manager at Djøf, disapproves of the current education trend encouraging children to take their diploma no matter what their plans are for the future.

Waste of society’s money
Quist encourages students to re-evaluate their decision to finish their upper secondary diplomas if they do not wish to continue with their education.

“It’s a waste of society’s money and a waste of young people’s time,” Quist told Politiken.

“For the individual, the decision to finish the high school diploma may perhaps be unnecessary if the student doesn’t see himself continuing his studies. For society, it is an economic cost that could be avoided,” she continued.

Not harmful to take upper secondary education
The Danish Upper Secondary School Students Association is not quite so pessimistic in its view.

“I cannot see how it will ever be harmful for a student to take their upper secondary education,”  said the outgoing president, Mathilde Lynggaard Vinther, to DR.

“Upper secondary education benefits students in a number of ways. I think it’s a really good way of teaching young people the important lessons in life.”