Boot camp vs stay in school until you're 18 like it or not

Yep, it has started.

The political tit for tat all in aid of vote grabbing (note I didn't say winning).

Promises, promises.

The target: youth violence/crime/delinquency/dole bludging/laziness.

The answer according to National - army style or just plain army boot camps. In order to give teens a sense of discipline and moral backbone.

The answer according to Labour - no leaving school until you're 18 or in approved training.

Both policies ignore the glaringly obvious; much if not most of the trouble is coming from teens who have slipped through the gaps in the current system.
Many of them haven't left school, they have just stopped turning up. Some were in training schemes but decided that it was too hard or too boring and failed to turn up to complete the course and nobody has the power to make them.
The voluntary boot camp type schemes that have in fact been running for years are so successful because at some point the participants have agreed to attend.

Here is another glaringly obvious problem; just what are the schools going to teach these extra teens and who is going to teach them?

There is a problem with too many substandard teachers according to the schools and the good teachers often see where the money lies and head off to greener pastures like Australia. And as the eldest bright spark (she passed maths with flying colours) of a kid has pointed out to me, what about those who will finish year 13 before they turn 18? Will they be forced to go the university whether their parents can afford it or not?

Like it or not the section of the population that couldn't pass School C hasn't gone away even if NCEA has easier options. There are some who will not be willing or able to pass. Further training for many will also be in the too hard or not necessary basket.

What is an extra 2 years of schooling going to do for these unfortunates?

Teach them to become bone lazy as all work is pointless?

101 on how to live and have a good time on the dole?

Of course boot camp won't teach laziness but how long are these teens going to attend that and what do we then do with all the little solders we have trained.

Then of course there are the mentally disabled. Not the ones could never work anywayor incapible of every looking after themselves. I am refering to the mild cases. The ones for whom mainstream schooling is the only option and who get minimal teacher aide time. The ones with a medical disagnosis that explains why they are a bit or more than a bit thick.
What is the point of keeping them in school any longer?
Or sending them to boot camp for that matter. Many of them already have as good a sense of disapline as they are ever going to get. Are we going to formally train them to be super market trolley attendants or to sort nails? Or just chuck them on the benefit with no guidance for the rest of their lives?

I have a novel idea to attempt to solve the same problem of teens running amuck.

How about giving parents back the power to control their offspring.

Now wouldn't that be a better election promise?