According to Scottish Government statistics released today, 23.4 per cent of school-leavers secured a college place in 2014/15.
That compares to 24.3 per cent the year before and 24.6 per cent back in 2010/11.
It equates to 12,247 pupils moving on to college last year, 12,464 the year before and 13,101 doing so in 2010/11, a drop over five years of nearly 1000.
Funding cuts have resulted in the loss of more than 150,000 college places, as the SNP tries to find money for free university tuition.
But the fall cannot be explained by more pupils going to university, as today’s official report also shows a drop in the percentage of youngsters entering higher education, from 38.2 per cent in 2013/14 to 36.8 per cent last year.
The gap in attainment between rich and poor continues to be a problem, the data also showed.
Last year, while 96.3 per cent of the least deprived youngsters went onto a “positive destination”, that was the case for just 86.3 per cent from the most deprived parts.
Since the SNP came to power in 2007, there are 152,000 fewer college places, something the Scottish Conservatives have described as “completely unacceptable” when colleges are being asked to become more flexible and respond more effectively to the demands of their own local economies.
Scottish Conservative shadow education secretary Liz Smith said:
“The facts are clear – the SNP slashed the number of college places, and the result is fewer pupils having that option before them.
“We should be encouraging diverse destinations for young people, because a vocational course at college can be just as valuable as a university degree.
“Instead, because the Scottish Government wants to fund its vanity project of free university tuition, school-leavers right across Scotland are paying the price.
“These cuts have to be reversed.
“Employers have repeatedly told ministers that there are too many young people emerging from education with the wrong skills.
“But these warnings have been ignored, and now it is harder than ever for a pupil to leave school and secure a place at college.”