Better vocational
options =
fewer dropouts from
education and training
Early findings of a
Europe-wide Cedefop study reveal that the effect of vocational education and
training (VET) on dropout rates is largely positive. In countries where
vocational pathways account for a large share of education and training, rates
of early school-leaving
are below the 10% EU
target for 2020. Conversely, in countries where VET lags behind, the dropout
rate is higher than 10% – in some cases, significantly so.
The study also
addresses lack of a commonly accepted definition of early leavers from VET.
Data at EU level and in many countries do not track young people accurately as
they leave and re-enter learning environments and/or the labour market.
According to the
study, over 97% of early leavers are dropouts, with the remainder being young
people who never start post-compulsory education and training. One in five
dropouts eventually achieves upper secondary qualifications, with 77% doing so within
three years.
The findings were
discussed at an expert workshop organised by Cedefop in June. Cedefop
Director James
Calleja pointed out that the early leaving problem is largely VET’s to solve:
early leavers (aged 16 to 24) who return to education typically choose
vocational options. He spoke of early leavers as ‘casualties of the education
system’ whom public authorities have a responsibility to support.
Cedefop has launched
a three-year project to address lack of data on early leaving from vocational pathways
and to analyse the role VET plays in reducing dropout rates. Expert Irene
Psifidou, who organised the workshop, said that the project is ‘ambitious but
necessary: to develop tools that will make it possible for countries to monitor
individual
learning pathways
and to evaluate national policies on early leaving.’
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