The educational reality of Europe, and in particular of Spain, is marked by a phenomenon that continues to cause many headaches: el dropping out of school by young peopleAlthough the figures have improved compared to two decades ago, data from Eurostat, the OECD and various national bodies show that, compared to the rest of the European Union, Spain continues to lag behind when it comes to who leaves the education system early.
Beyond the cold numbers, behind each percentage are stories of boys and girls who They break off their educational path for a variety of reasons: academic difficulties, economic problems, the need to work, illness, discouragement, or lack of support.Understanding what is happening in Spain within the European context, why it is happening, and what is being done to stop it is key to preventing the continued loss of young talent and, incidentally, to avoiding perpetuating the cycle of poverty.
School dropout rates in the European Union and Spain's position
According to a recent Eurostat analysis, around 14% of young people in the European Union have at some point dropped out of formal education or trainingIn other words, a significant portion of European youth fail to complete the planned educational pathways, which jeopardizes their future employment and social standing.
The same report highlights that abandonment levels vary considerably between countries: The highest percentages are found in the Netherlands, Denmark, Luxembourg, and Estonia.with rates that comfortably exceed the community average, while at the opposite extreme there are countries such as Romania, Greece or Bulgaria, where abandonment is relatively low according to these specific indicators.
Spain, however, repeatedly appears as one of the countries with the most problems. An analysis of the Labor Force Survey cross-referenced with European data places the early school leaving rate around 13%This means that a significant proportion of young people between 18 and 24 years old have not completed upper secondary education and are not pursuing any form of training. This figure represents the second highest in the entire European Union, only surpassed by Romania in some recent records.
If we look at a broader time horizon, the progress is undeniable: In 2008, Spain had an early school leaving rate of 32%.This was closely linked to the boom in sectors like construction and hospitality, which absorbed young people without qualifications with seemingly attractive salaries. With the bursting of the housing bubble, things changed and the dropout rate began to decline rapidly, but in recent years this improvement has stagnated.
The most recent figures indicate that, although we are improving, Spain continues to fall further behind the European goal of reducing school dropout rates to below 9% by 2030The EU average is already approaching that target, but Spain remains several points above it, revealing the magnitude of the challenge that remains.
Why young people drop out of education: main causes
Eurostat data offers a glimpse into the reasons young people themselves give for dropping out of an education program. The most frequent reason is that The studies do not meet their expectations or they find them too difficult.Around 42% of those who left formal education cite reasons directly related to the educational program itself.
These reasons, whether academic or related to the design of the studies, become more relevant the higher the level: They represent less than a third in basic education, around a third in secondary education, and more than half in higher education.As students progress through their education, the demands increase, and the clash between what they expect and what they actually encounter also grows.
Secondly, the family or personal reasonswhich account for about a fifth of the cases. We are talking about very varied situations: caregiving responsibilities, conflicts within the family, changes of residence, emotional problemsā¦ These factors weigh especially heavily on students with lower levels of education, where family burdens and the lack of a support network are more noticeable.
Another significant cause is the preference for joining the labor marketAround 14% of young people who have left a training program state that they wanted to work, either to achieve financial independence, help their families, or because they feel that continuing their studies is not worthwhile. This reason is even more prevalent at lower educational levels, especially in contexts of economic hardship.
The section on illness or disabilityThis is more prevalent among those with less education. Among students with basic education, more than 11% cite these health factors as determining factors in their dropping out, a percentage that decreases as the educational level increases, suggesting that the lack of support and adaptations in the early stages can push students to leave the system.
It is striking that, although economic difficulties are frequently mentioned in public debate, only slightly more than 5% of young people place Money as the main cause of abandonmentThis does not mean that the economy has no influence, but rather that it often appears combined with other factors (early employment, discouragement, lack of expectations) and is not always verbalized as the sole reason.
Spain: many young people with university degrees, but too many with only a secondary school diploma
OECD reports on education paint a rather peculiar picture in Spain: on the one hand, there is a high proportion of young people with higher education (university or higher-level vocational training), above the EU and OECD average; on the other hand, there is also a very large group of people who do not go beyond compulsory education.
In the 25-34 age bracket, around 25% of young Spaniards only have ESO (Compulsory Secondary Education) or an equivalent levelIn other words, one in four young people only complete basic education and do not continue on to either upper secondary education (Bachillerato) or intermediate vocational training (FP de Grado Medio). This figure is roughly double the European Union average and places us at levels comparable to non-EU countries with much weaker education systems.
At the same time, near the 52% of young people in that same age group have higher educationThis figure places Spain among the countries with the most university and advanced vocational training graduates. The paradox lies in the fact that the intermediate group, those with a high school diploma or intermediate vocational training qualification, is very small: barely 22%, compared to an EU average of 43%.
This imbalance creates several problems. On the one hand, it leaves many young people trapped with an insufficient level of education, more exposed to unemployment, low wages and precariousnessOn the other hand, it pushes many university graduates to accept jobs below their qualifications, which fuels the feeling of overqualification and underutilization of talent.
Furthermore, Spain has a very high percentage of low-skilled adults: around 36% of people between 25 and 64 years old It has not gone beyond the first stage of secondary education. This figure is also double the European average and limits the opportunities of the children, since the parents' education greatly influences the educational level that their offspring ultimately reach.
Territorial differences, poverty, and the difficult-to-break cycle
National averages mask very different realities depending on the autonomous community. In some regions, such as In the Basque Country or Cantabria, the early school leaving rate is clearly below the European average.with figures around 5%. However, in other territories such as the Balearic Islands or Murcia, the percentages skyrocket, reaching double the EU average.
These territorial differences are largely explained by the socioeconomic situation of familiesRegions with higher rates of child poverty or highly seasonal labor markets (for example, those dependent on tourism) tend to have higher dropout rates. It is no coincidence that where there is greater economic vulnerability, there are also more children and teenagers who leave school prematurely.
Organizations like Save the Children clearly speak of a ācircle of povertyāMany teenagers drop out to contribute to the household income, but this condemns them to a cycle of precarious, low-paying jobs, perpetuating the very conditions they were trying to escape. In this way, the lack of educational opportunities is passed down from generation to generation.
Research confirms that The link between social vulnerability and school dropout is very closeFor example, regional studies in Catalonia show that almost a third of young people from families with severe economic difficulties do not complete compulsory secondary education (ESO) or, if they do, do not go on to upper secondary education (Bachillerato) or vocational training (FP). The risk of dropping out skyrockets when low income, low parental education, and neighborhoods with few educational resources are combined.
Added to this are urban and rural disparities, and the situation of the migrant population. OECD data indicate that Young people born outside of Spain are more likely to be "NEETs" (Not in Education, Employment, or Training). (neither study nor work) than native youth, and that the gap in educational level between them is especially wide in our country.
The phenomenon of "NEETs" and the link with abandonment
In the 18-24 age group, close to 17-18% of young Spaniards fall into the "NEET" categoryThat is, they neither study nor work. This rate clearly exceeds the average for the European Union and the OECD, although it has decreased compared to the years following the economic crisis.
It should be noted that more than half of these young people are actively seeking employmentTherefore, this is not a homogeneous group of inactive individuals. Even so, the percentage of young people who remain outside both the education system and the labor market is still very high and has a direct impact on the country's economic and social development.
In Spain there is a particularity: The proportion of "NEET" men is slightly higher than that of womenUnlike the OECD and EU averages, where women are more likely to appear in this category, this data is partly associated with the higher school dropout rate among boys, who are more likely to leave school to work in low-skilled sectors.
In the case of young people of foreign origin, the likelihood of ending up as NEETs (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) also increases. Furthermore, young migrants exhibit graduation rates and continuation of studies much lower than nativesThis translates into worse job opportunities. While around 45% of young Spaniards have higher education, only about 28% of migrants reach that level, a gap of almost 17 points, which is one of the largest among the countries analyzed by the OECD.
This combination of factors makes early school leaving and the "NEET" phenomenon one of the great challenges of public policybecause it not only affects individual trajectories but also economic growth, future tax revenues, and spending on social benefits.
Repeating a course, a symptom that foreshadows dropping out
Grade repetition is another characteristic of the Spanish education system and is closely linked to school dropout rates. Various reports describe our system as a anomalous model due to the high use of repetition compared to countries that achieve similar academic results.
In primary school, around 2% of students repeat a grade, a percentage already slightly higher than the OECD average. But the leap comes in secondary school: Repetition rates range between 6% and 8% depending on the courseThis is more than double the rate in many European countries. By age 15, almost a third of Spanish students have repeated a grade at least once, and in the fourth year of ESO (compulsory secondary education), the repetition rate is around 6%, compared to an average of just over 3% in the OECD.
The available evidence suggests that repetition, as applied in Spain, It does not clearly improve academic performance in the short term. And yet, it does increase the risk of students dropping out. Repeating a grade is often associated with strong demotivation: many boys and girls feel they are "not cut out for studying," become disengaged from school, and see less point in continuing to try.
Education experts are calling for a change in approach: reducing repetition to the bare minimum and focusing more on personalized reinforcement, small groups, split classes, in-class support, and early guidanceIn fact, countries that achieve good results in international tests with very low repetition rates tend to rely on these types of support strategies rather than making students repeat entire courses.
In this context, Spain has tried to limit grade repetition with regulatory reforms, but the data shows that there is still a long way to go before the school culture stops relying so much on this tool and relies more on measures to prevent failure.
Investment, public and subsidized networks, and teaching conditions
When analyzing how much is spent on education, Spain ranks slightly below the OECD and EU average in spending per studentIn the latest comparative snapshot, our country invests just over $12.000 per student, compared to the OECD average of over $14.000.
However, international experience shows that it's not just about spending more, but about how are those resources distributedThere are countries with very high per-student investments whose academic results are not particularly outstanding, and others with more moderate spending that achieve exceptional performance. In Spain, the debate centers on both the volume and the allocation of spending: what portion is actually dedicated to supporting those who need it most, reducing student-teacher ratios in vulnerable contexts, or improving socio-educational support.
Another distinctive feature is the weight of the private-public partnership network. Approximately one 32% of primary school students are enrolled in state-subsidized private schoolsIn these systems, a significant portion of the expenses are covered by public funds, but families also bear a substantial share of the cost. At the same time, public spending on subsidized private schools has grown considerably in the last decade, drawing criticism from groups that advocate prioritizing the public school system as a tool to combat school dropout and segregation.
Regarding the teaching staff, Spanish teachers are relatively well paid compared to the European averageespecially at the beginning of their careers. However, reaching the highest salaries requires almost four decades of work, one of the longest career paths in the OECD. Furthermore, teachers in Spain accumulate more teaching hours than their counterparts in other countries, even though their total working hours are not significantly longer.
Unions and professional associations warn that this high burden of direct classes, coupled with a growing bureaucracy, It reduces the time available to properly prepare lessons, coordinate with other teachers, attend to students individually, or receive training.That is why they insist on reviewing the design of the teaching career, reducing administrative tasks, lowering ratios in more complex classrooms and strengthening the stability of teachers in schools with special difficulties.
Measures to curb abandonment and ways to improve
The proposals to combat early school leaving are varied, but almost all agree that action must be taken. from a very early age to detect learning and contextual problems before they become chronic. Quality early childhood education, especially from 0 to 3 years old, is considered a powerful tool for equalizing opportunities and reducing future gaps.
Spain has very high enrollment rates in the early stages of education, especially from the age of 3, and a growing presence in the adult continuing educationMore and more people over the age of 25 are returning to their studies or continuing their education, which is crucial for improving the overall educational level of the country.
In Secondary and High School, experts propose Strengthen academic and professional guidance This is to ensure students are better informed about the different pathways available (vocational training, upper secondary education, combined programs, etc.) and are not forced to make choices with limited information. Awareness campaigns are also suggested to highlight the importance of completing at least upper secondary education and continuing one's studies.
Another key front is the Vocational trainingIn Spain, registration in Basic and Intermediate Vocational Training programs It remains below the European average, despite being a pathway with high potential for connecting school with the labor market in a skilled manner. Promoting vocational training, including the dual model with work placements, can be an attractive option for young people who do not identify with more academic pathways.
However, several actors warn that the rise of vocational training It has also attracted private investors and funds that see a business opportunity. In communities like Catalonia, there are already thousands of young people who They are left without a place in the desired public vocational training program and they can only access it if they pay for a private center, which reintroduces the economic variable as a barrier and opens the door to new sources of inequality.
Finally, various entities and organizations suggest specific measures in centers with a high risk of abandonment: Reduce the number of students per classroom, hire more counselors, implement support and mentoring programs, combat school segregation, and strengthen work with familiesIt is emphasized that resources must be greater where the needs are greatest, if we do not want to continue feeding the cycle of poverty.
All of the above paints a complex picture, in which the European Union as a whole is moving towards lower dropout rates, but where countries like Spain still struggle with high figures and a significant impact of low-skilled adults. Maintaining a focus on early detection of difficulties, improving vocational training, ensuring equitable funding, and strengthening the public education system, while also safeguarding teachers' working conditions, seems to be the most sensible way to ensure fewer young people drop out of school. education once again becomes a true lever for social mobility.
