Percentage of early leavers from education and training higher among boys than girls
The percentage of young people aged 18 to 24 with no diploma from secondary education who are no longer in education or training is estimated at 6.2% in 2023 based on the Labour Force Survey. This continues the decrease of recent years. Compared to the early 2000s, the figure has more than halved. Yet, this is insufficient in the light of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations in terms of quality education. Through these objectives, the aim is to ensure that all young people can complete quality primary and secondary education. The aim is therefore to reduce the proportion of early leavers from education and training (former designation: “early school leavers”) to 0% by 2030.
Ever since the measurement of the early leavers from education and training indicator began, there has been a fairly large gender gap. In 2023, the percentage is 4.4% among women versus 7.9% among men. This is a difference that we observe in the three regions, but it appears to be remarkably larger in Wallonia and Brussels than in Flanders. While the gender gap in Flanders is only 2.5 percentage points, in Wallonia we see a gap of 4.7 percentage points and in Brussels a gap of 5.6 percentage points.
Early leavers from education and training - annual averages
| Belgium | 2000 | 2005 (a) | 2010 | 2014 (b) | 2015 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 (d) | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 13.8% | 12.9% | 11.9% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 8.4% | 8.1% | 6.7% | 6.4% | 6.2% |
| Men | 16.5% | 15.2% | 13.8% | 11.8% | 11.6% | 10.5% | 10.2% | 8.9% | 8.0% | 7.9% |
| Women | 11.0% | 10.5% | 10.0% | 7.7% | 8.6% | 6.2% | 5.9% | 4.5% | 4.8% | 4.4% |
| Figures are always annual averages. Definition of "Early leavers from education and training": percentage of persons aged 18 to 24 who did not complete upper secondary education and who is not involved in further education or training any more. People in school holidays are not considered as early leavers from education and training. (a) Due to a modification of the variables on education and training, the results are not fully comparable to the previous years. (c) Break in the results following a considerable reform of the Labour Force Survey. (d) Break in the results in 2021 due to the revision of the questionnaire and the change in the ILO definitions of unemployment and employment. |
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Early leavers from education and training - annual averages
| Brussels-Capital Region | 2000 | 2005 (a) | 2010 | 2014 (b) | 2015 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 (d) | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 20.7% | 19.4% | 18.4% | 14.4% | 15.8% | 11.8% | 9.7% | 9.1% | 7.4% | 8.7% |
| Men | 25.2% | 20.4% | 20.4% | 17.5% | 16.9% | 15.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% | 8.8% | 11.5% |
| Women | 16.1% | 18.4% | 16.5% | 11.2% | 14.8% | 8.7% | 9.4% | 6.7% | 6.0% | 5.9% |
| Figures are always annual averages. Definition of "Early leavers from education and training": percentage of persons aged 18 to 24 who did not complete upper secondary education and who is not involved in further education or training any more. People in school holidays are not considered as early leavers from education and training. (a) Due to a modification of the variables on education and training, the results are not fully comparable to the previous years. (c) Break in the results following a considerable reform of the Labour Force Survey. (d) Break in the results in 2021 due to the revision of the questionnaire and the change in the ILO definitions of unemployment and employment. |
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Early leavers from education and training - annual averages
| Flemish Region | 2000 | 2005 (a) | 2010 | 2014 (b) | 2015 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 (d) | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 11.6% | 10.7% | 9.6% | 7.0% | 7.2% | 6.2% | 6.7% | 5.3% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Men | 13.9% | 13.2% | 11.4% | 8.3% | 8.6% | 7.6% | 9.0% | 7.0% | 5.5% | 6.6% |
| Women | 9.2% | 8.0% | 7.7% | 5.7% | 5.8% | 4.8% | 4.4% | 3.5% | 4.2% | 4.1% |
| Figures are always annual averages. Definition of "Early leavers from education and training": percentage of persons aged 18 to 24 who did not complete upper secondary education and who is not involved in further education or training any more. People in school holidays are not considered as early leavers from education and training. (a) Due to a modification of the variables on education and training, the results are not fully comparable to the previous years. (c) Break in the results following a considerable reform of the Labour Force Survey. (d) Break in the results in 2021 due to the revision of the questionnaire and the change in the ILO definitions of unemployment and employment. |
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Early leavers from education and training - annual averages
| Walloon Region | 2000 | 2005 (a) | 2010 | 2014 (b) | 2015 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 (d) | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 15.5% | 14.6% | 13.7% | 12.9% | 13.1% | 10.9% | 9.8% | 8.3% | 8.6% | 6.7% |
| Men | 18.4% | 17.0% | 15.9% | 15.9% | 15.0% | 13.9% | 12.4% | 11.3% | 11.7% | 9.0% |
| Women | 12.6% | 12.1% | 11.5% | 9.9% | 11.1% | 7.6% | 7.2% | 5.3% | 5.4% | 4.2% |
| Figures are always annual averages. Definition of "Early leavers from education and training": percentage of persons aged 18 to 24 who did not complete upper secondary education and who is not involved in further education or training any more. People in school holidays are not considered as early leavers from education and training. (a) Due to a modification of the variables on education and training, the results are not fully comparable to the previous years. (c) Break in the results following a considerable reform of the Labour Force Survey. (d) Break in the results in 2021 due to the revision of the questionnaire and the change in the ILO definitions of unemployment and employment. |
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Labour force survey (LFS)
Purpose and short description
The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a socio-economic household sample survey. Its main objective is to classify the working age population (15 and older) into three groups (employed, unemployed and inactive persons) and to provide descriptive and explanatory data on every category. This survey is also carried out in the other EU Member States and is coordinated by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In Belgium, the LFS is organised by Statbel. The objective is to obtain comparable information at European level, in particular as regards employment and unemployment rates as defined by the International Labour Office (ILO), but also to collect and disseminate data that are otherwise not available, for example about the mobility of workers, the reasons for working part-time, the various forms of part-time employment, the occupation, the educational level of the working age population, ... .
Survey population
Members of private households aged 15 or older.
Sample frame
Demographic data from the National Register.
Data collection method and sample size
Data are collected through face-to-face interviews. Since 2017, there have been three (shorter) follow-up surveys to which households respond online or by telephone.
Households with only inactive persons older than 64 can also be interviewed by telephone.
Every year, around 47,000 households receive a letter asking them to take part in this survey.
Response rate
The response rate is above 75%.
Periodicity
Quarterly
Release calendar
Results availability: around 3 months after the end of the reference period.
Forms
- Labour Force Survey 2020 (PDF, 541 Kb)
- Labour Force Survey 2021 (PDF, 1 Mb)
Definitions
Unemployed (ILO): According to the criteria of the International Labour Office, the unemployed include all people aged 15 years and over who: a) were without work during the reference week b) were available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment within two weeks after the reference week c) were actively seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps during the last four weeks including the reference week to seek paid employment or self-employment, or who had found a job to start within a maximum period of three months.
Employed population (ILO): The employed comprise all people aged 15 and over who during the reference week performed some work for at least one hour for wage or salary, or for profit, or who had a job but were temporarily absent. For example, one can be temporarily absent for holidays, illness, technical or economic reasons (temporary unemployment),....Family workers are also included in the category ‘employed’. The employed are divided into three groups according to their professional status:
Education level (3 classes): Low-skilled people are people who have at most a diploma of lower secondary education. Medium-skilled people are people who obtained a diploma of upper secondary education but not of higher education. Highly-skilled people have a diploma of higher education.
Early leavers from education and training: the percentage of people aged 18 to 24 who did not complete upper secondary education and who is no longer involved in any form of education or training.
Metadata
Survey methodology
- Modifications to the Labour Force Survey (LFS) in 2021
- LFS: Methodological improvements to the Labour Force Survey 2017 (PDF, 99 Kb)
- LFS: Presentation of the survey until 2016 (NL-FR)
- LFS: Presentation of the survey from 2017 (NL-FR)