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Educational attainment and labour market outcomes have improved for young adults most at risk of falling behind, but education systems can adapt further to improve results for all groups – including girls, women, and low-income students, according to a new OECD report.
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Explore the latest data on education from the OECD
The number of 25-34 year-olds without secondary attainment fell across most OECD countries between 2016 and 2023
Costa Rica, Mexico, Portugal and Türkiye saw the biggest declines, with at least 10 percentage points more 25-34 year-olds attaining secondary education during that period. Between 2016 and 2023, the share of 25-34 year-olds with an upper secondary qualification has increased from 83% to 86% across the OECD, while the share of 18-24 year-olds not in employment, education or training fell from 16% to 14%, with substantial declines in Italy, Mexico, Croatia and Poland.
Job opportunities have also improved: the employment rate among 25-34 year-olds without an upper secondary qualification has risen from 59% to 61%, and for those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary attainment, it has increased from 76% to 79%.
These positive trends are driven by 18-24 year-olds staying in education longer and a robust labour market. This does not mean that their learning outcomes are uniformly better, as the OECD’s latest Programme for International Student Assessment results showed a decline for many groups. As such, skills mismatches remain a problem in the labour market for workers at all levels of qualification.
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