The coalition government is planning to invest €50m in schemes to bring down youth unemployment in 2013 and 2014, after a sharp rise in the jobless total among the under-25s.

The package, with €25m to encourage schools and colleges to work with employers and €25m for the School Ex programme which encourages youngsters to extend their studies, was presented on Tuesday by employment minister Lodewijk Asscher and education minister Jet Bussemaker.

The €50m is not new money. €35m of it comes from a pot of €100m already earmarked by the government to stimulate employment of youngsters and older people. The remaining €65m of that fund will be used to improve the employment chances of older people.

The other €15m comes from Bussemaker’s education budget.

Unemployment among youngsters rose to 15% in January, up from just under 10% a year ago.

Parliament will debate the economic crisis and how to tackle unemployment on Tuesday evening.