Girls and boys who are out of school in Belgium
Belgium: Girls and boys who are out of school was 6,554 girls in 2023. ▲ Rising
Girls and boys who are out of school in Belgium, 2004–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in girls.
Analysis
The most recent figure for girls and boys who are out of school in Belgium is 6,554 girls, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 34.5% on the previous year and down 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, girls and boys who are out of school in Belgium peaked at 7,467 girls in 2011 and was at its lowest, 1,455 girls, in 2005.
That places Belgium 107th out of 180 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 20 years of available data.
Girls and boys who are out of school in Belgium, year by year
| Year | girls | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 1,745 girls | — |
| 2005 | 1,455 girls | -16.6% |
| 2006 | 2,460 girls | +69.1% |
| 2007 | 3,031 girls | +23.2% |
| 2008 | 3,764 girls | +24.2% |
| 2009 | 4,248 girls | +12.9% |
| 2010 | 4,521 girls | +6.4% |
| 2011 | 7,467 girls | +65.2% |
| 2012 | 6,764 girls | -9.4% |
| 2013 | 6,659 girls | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 6,865 girls | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 7,032 girls | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 7,388 girls | +5.1% |
| 2017 | 5,342 girls | -27.7% |
| 2018 | 5,195 girls | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 5,280 girls | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 4,892 girls | -7.3% |
| 2021 | 5,818 girls | +18.9% |
| 2022 | 4,873 girls | -16.2% |
| 2023 | 6,554 girls | +34.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2,784 girls | 1,455 girls | 4,248 girls | 6 |
| 2010s | 6,251 girls | 4,521 girls | 7,467 girls | 10 |
| 2020s | 5,534 girls | 4,873 girls | 6,554 girls | 4 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 104 Kyrgyzstan 8,359 girls compare
- 105 Serbia 7,724 girls compare
- 106 Bulgaria 6,943 girls compare
- 108 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 6,273 girls compare
- 109 Suriname 5,441 girls compare
- 110 Hong Kong, China 5,014 girls
More education data for Belgium
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 137,795 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 17,384 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 221,494 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 210,503 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.18 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 814,388 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.1356 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0691 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is girls and boys who are out of school in Belgium?
- Girls and boys who are out of school in Belgium was 6,554 girls in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest girls and boys who are out of school recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 7,467 girls in 2011.
- What is the lowest girls and boys who are out of school recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,455 girls in 2005.
- How does Belgium rank for girls and boys who are out of school?
- Belgium ranks 107th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is girls and boys who are out of school rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Girls and boys who are out of school. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 20 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Girls in the official primary school age range who are not enrolled in either primary or secondary education.