Older people must be given more chances to learn if they are to contribute to society rather than be a financial burden, according to a new study on population published recently.

The current approach which【C1】_____on younger people and on skills for employment not【C2】__to meet the challenges of demographic change, it says. Only 1％ of the education budget is【C3】_____spent on the oldest third of the population.

The【C4】_____include the fact that most people can expect to spend a third of their lives in【C5】__, that there are now more people over 59 than under 16 and that 11.3 million people are【C6】_____state pension age.

“【C7】_____needs to continue throughout life. Our historic concentration of policy attention and resources 【C8】__young people cannot meet the new【C9】_____,” says the report’s author, Professor Stephen McNair.

The major【C10】_____of our education budget is spent on people below the age of 25.【C11】__people are changing their jobs,【C12】__, partners and lifestyles more often than【C13】__, they need opportunities to learn at every age.【C14】_____some people are starting new careers in their 50s and later.

People need opportunities to make a “midlife review” to【C15】_____to the later stages of employed life, and to plan for the transition【C16】__retirement which may now happen【C17】_____at any point from 50 to over 90, says McNair.

And there should be more money【C18】_____to support people in establishing a【C19】__of identity and finding constructive【C20】_____for the “third age”, the 20 or more years they will spend in healthy retired life.

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