Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Belgium
Belgium: Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal was 22.4% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Belgium, 1990–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
Belgium recorded 22.4% for participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.3% on the previous year and up 31.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Belgium peaked at 23.2% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 14.5%, in 1991.
Belgium ranks 19th of 110 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 14.7% | — |
| 1991 | 14.5% | -1.1% |
| 1992 | 14.9% | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 15.2% | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 15.0% | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 15.5% | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 15.5% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 15.5% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 15.7% | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 18.7% | +19.4% |
| 2000 | 18.2% | -2.7% |
| 2001 | 18.4% | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 17.6% | -4.4% |
| 2003 | 19.0% | +8.1% |
| 2004 | 20.2% | +6.4% |
| 2005 | 18.3% | -9.4% |
| 2006 | 18.1% | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 17.8% | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 17.6% | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 17.7% | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 18.2% | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 17.8% | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 17.1% | -4.1% |
| 2013 | 17.5% | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 17.9% | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 17.5% | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 18.0% | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 18.4% | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 17.7% | -3.5% |
| 2019 | 18.2% | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 17.5% | -4.2% |
| 2021 | 23.2% | +32.7% |
| 2022 | 22.4% | -3.3% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 22.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 17.5%, 1.3× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 22.4% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15.5%, 1.4× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Belgium changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +32.7% | 17.5% | 23.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 15.5% | 14.5% | 18.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.3% | 17.6% | 20.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.8% | 17.1% | 18.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.0% | 17.5% | 23.2% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
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 participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Belgium?
- Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Belgium was 22.4% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 23.2% in 2021.
- What is the lowest participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.5% in 1991.
- How does Belgium rank for participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal?
- Belgium ranks 19th out of 110 countries with data for 2022.
- Is participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.2%. 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, published as part of Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, 15-64 years old, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release