In 2022, early school leaving continues to decrease among the 18-24-year-olds
6.4% of people aged 18-24 were early school leavers in 2022. This is the percentage of people aged 18 to 24 who did not complete secondary education and who are no longer involved in any form of education or training. 2022 confirms the downward trend that has been underway for years.
The percentage is 8% among men and 4.8% among women.
8.6% of people aged 18-24 were early school leavers in Wallonia. Then comes Brussels with 7.4% and Flanders with 4.9%.
Early school leavers - annual averages
| Belgium | 2000 | 2005 (a) | 2010 | 2014 (b) | 2015 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 (d) | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 13.8% | 12.9% | 11.9% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 8.6% | 8.4% | 8.1% | 6.7% | 6.4% |
| Men | 16.5% | 15.2% | 13.8% | 11.8% | 11.6% | 10.6% | 10.5% | 10.2% | 8.9% | 8.0% |
| Women | 11.0% | 10.5% | 10.0% | 7.7% | 8.6% | 6.5% | 6.2% | 5.9% | 4.5% | 4.8% |
| Figures are always annual averages. Definition of "early school leavers": 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 school leavers. (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 school leavers - annual averages
| Brussels-Capital Region | 2000 | 2005 (a) | 2010 | 2014 (b) | 2015 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 (d) | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 20.7% | 19.4% | 18.4% | 14.4% | 15.8% | 10.7% | 11.8% | 9.7% | 9.1% | 7.4% |
| Men | 25.2% | 20.4% | 20.4% | 17.5% | 16.9% | 12.3% | 15.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% | 8.8% |
| Women | 16.1% | 18.4% | 16.5% | 11.2% | 14.8% | 9.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% | 6.7% | 6.0% |
| Figures are always annual averages. Definition of "early school leavers": 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 school leavers. (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 school leavers - annual averages
| Flemish Region | 2000 | 2005 (a) | 2010 | 2014 (b) | 2015 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 (d) | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 11.6% | 10.7% | 9.6% | 7.0% | 7.2% | 7.3% | 6.2% | 6.7% | 5.3% | 4.9% |
| Men | 13.9% | 13.2% | 11.4% | 8.3% | 8.6% | 9.5% | 7.6% | 9.0% | 7.0% | 5.5% |
| Women | 9.2% | 8.0% | 7.7% | 5.7% | 5.8% | 5.1% | 4.8% | 4.4% | 3.5% | 4.2% |
| Figures are always annual averages. Definition of "early school leavers": 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 school leavers. (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 school leavers - annual averages
| Walloon Region | 2000 | 2005 (a) | 2010 | 2014 (b) | 2015 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 (d) | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 15.5% | 14.6% | 13.7% | 12.9% | 13.1% | 9.9% | 10.9% | 9.8% | 8.3% | 8.6% |
| Men | 18.4% | 17.0% | 15.9% | 15.9% | 15.0% | 11.9% | 13.9% | 12.4% | 11.3% | 11.7% |
| Women | 12.6% | 12.1% | 11.5% | 9.9% | 11.1% | 8.0% | 7.6% | 7.2% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Figures are always annual averages. Definition of "early school leavers": 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 school leavers. (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 brief description
The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a socio-economic sample survey of households. Its main objective is to classify the working age population (15 and older) into three groups (employed, unemployed and inactive people) 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 gather 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 temporary employment, the profession, the educational level of the working age population, etc.
Population
Members of private households aged 15 or older.
Sample frame
Demographic data from the National Register
Data collection method and sample size
In the first interview data are collected face to face. Since 2017, there are three shorter follow-up surveys to which households respond online or by telephone.
Households with only inactive people older than 64 can also be interviewed by telephone.
Every year, about 47,000 households in Belgium receive a letter asking them to take part in this survey.
Response rate
The response rate is +75%.
Periodicity
Quarterly.
Release calendar
Results available +/- 3 months after the reference period
Forms
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 school leavers: 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
Methodology of the surveys
- LFS: presentation of the survey from 2017 (PDF, 105.77 Kb)
- LFS: presentation of the survey until 2016 (PDF, 98.44 Kb)