Malta had the highest percentage of early school leavers in 2020, figures issued by Eurostat show.
The share of 'early school leavers’ is a term that refers to early leavers from education and training (aged 18-24). The indicator shows the percentage of the population aged 18-24 with at most a lower secondary education and who were not in further (formal or non-formal) education or training during the four weeks preceding the time when the survey was carried out.
In 2020, EU Member States that reported the lowest shares of early leavers from education and training were Croatia (2.2%), Greece (3.8%), Slovenia (4.1%), Ireland (5%) and Poland (5.4%), Eurostat said.
“In contrast, the highest shares were recorded in Malta (16.7%), Spain (16%), Romania (15.6%), Italy (13.1%) and Bulgaria (12.8%).”
In Malta, the rate of early school leavers has decreased over the years, going from 23.8% in 2010 down to 16.7% in 2020.
This is a 0.5% decrease on the 17.2% rate of early school leavers registered in 2019, when Malta was the second highest in the EU (second to Spain, which registered 17.3%), and perhaps serves as an indication that fears of an increased rate of school leavers as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and its effect on education has not thus far materialised.
The statistics show that the percentage of male early school leavers is higher (19.3%) than of females (13.9%).
EU member states have set themselves a target to reduce the rate of early school leaves to below 9% by 2030.
Eighteen Member States have already met the EU-level target for 2030 for this indicator: Belgium, Czechia, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, France, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden.
The share of 'early school leavers’ has steadily decreased in the European Union (EU) over the last 10 years (from 13.8% in 2010 to 9.9% in 2020).
Malta recently launched a public consultation on a new strategy on 'Early Leaving from Education and Training'. It was the second strategy of its kind.
The strategy is based on three pillars – prevention, intervention and compensation.
The measures in this strategy are aimed to reduce the indicators of risk, like absenteeism and lack of academic achievements. “These were created through a national study with students who did not continue attending post-secondary education. A research project had also taken place in 2018 through EU funds, where information was gathered from various stakeholders. The studies resulted in the recommendations on which the strategy was built” Pamela Spiteri, Educational Officer in the Early School Leaving Unit, had explained during the strategy’s announcement.