Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Belgium

Belgium: Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age was 1.5% in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
1.5%
Change on year
up 20.1%
World rank
142nd
of 183 countries
All-time high
1.9%
in 2011
All-time low
0.2%
in 2001
Years of data
23
2001–2023

Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Belgium, 2001–2023

00.511.522001201220232001: 0.205 %2002: 0.223 %2003: 0.228 %2004: 0.26 %2005: 0.325 %2006: 0.456 %2007: 0.643 %2008: 0.823 %2009: 1 %2010: 1.3 %2011: 1.9 %2012: 1.7 %2013: 1.7 %2014: 1.6 %2015: 1.6 %2016: 1.7 %2017: 0.892 %2018: 0.897 %2019: 0.883 %2020: 0.964 %2021: 1.1 %2022: 1.3 %2023: 1.5 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Belgium is 1.5%, measured in 2023.

That represents a change of up 20.1% on the previous year and down 10.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Belgium peaked at 1.9% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 2001.

That places Belgium 142nd out of 183 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Belgium, year by year

Annual values for Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age, both sexes (%) in Belgium, 2001 to 2023.
Year % Change
2001 0.2%
2002 0.2% +8.6%
2003 0.2% +2.3%
2004 0.3% +14.1%
2005 0.3% +24.9%
2006 0.5% +40.5%
2007 0.6% +41.0%
2008 0.8% +27.9%
2009 1.0% +22.5%
2010 1.3% +27.0%
2011 1.9% +49.1%
2012 1.7% -9.1%
2013 1.7% -0.8%
2014 1.6% -6.3%
2015 1.6% +1.2%
2016 1.7% +2.7%
2017 0.9% -46.8%
2018 0.9% +0.6%
2019 0.9% -1.6%
2020 1.0% +9.1%
2021 1.1% +17.5%
2022 1.3% +12.9%
2023 1.5% +20.1%

Belgium compared with similar countries

  • Belgium's 1.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.8%, 86% of the median. (69 countries reporting)
  • Belgium's 1.5% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.5%, 1.0× the median. (49 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 0.5% 0.2% 1.0% 9
2010s 1.4% 0.9% 1.9% 10
2020s 1.2% 1.0% 1.5% 4

Countries ranked near Belgium

  1. 139 Luxembourg 1.7% compare
  2. 140 Iceland 1.6% compare
  3. 141 Georgia 1.6% compare
  4. 143 Uruguay 1.5% compare
  5. 144 Croatia 1.5% compare
  6. 145 Slovenia 1.4% compare

See the full ranking of 222 places →

More education data for Belgium

All data for Belgium →

Frequently asked questions

What is out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Belgium?
Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Belgium was 1.5% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age recorded in Belgium?
The highest recorded value was 1.9% in 2011.
What is the lowest out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age recorded in Belgium?
The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 2001.
How does Belgium rank for out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age?
Belgium ranks 142nd out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
Is out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age rising or falling in Belgium?
Over the last ten years it is down 10.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Belgium data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age in Belgium. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/out-of-school-rate-for-adolescents-of-lower-secondary-school-age-both-sexes-percent-2/belgium/

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About this data

Indicator
Out-of-school rate for adolescents of lower secondary school age, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
222 places, 4,213 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release