Early school leavers in Malta are highest in the EU

The number of early school leavers in Malta is the highest in the European Union – a percentage that has to be halved by 2020 to meet EU targets.
Figures released on European Statistics Day, marked on Saturday, show nearly one out of every five Maltese aged between 18 and 24 leave education or training.
People leaving school at a relatively young age are more likely to face the risk of poverty, unemployment, social exclusion or poor health, Eurostat warned.
The EU has set a goal to reduce the share of early leavers from education and training to 10 per cent by 2020.
In 2017, the average was 10.6 per cent, ranging from a high of 18.6 per cent in Malta to a low of 3.1 per cent in Croatia.
Young men were more likely than young women to be early leavers from education and training, with Malta’s figures standing at 22 per cent for men and 15 per cent for women.

The statistics released by Eurostat are varied, also shedding light on living conditions and material deprivation. Data was also collected about the inability to face unexpected financial expenses.
In 2017, the Maltese were the most likely to be able to face such an expense.
More than a third of the EU population was unable…