Press Release: EU education report: good progress, but more effort needed to achieve targets

EU countries have improved their education systems in key areas over the past decade but they have achieved only one out of five benchmarks set for 2010, the European Commission's new progress report on education and training revealed on 19 April 2011.

The EU has succeeded in its target to increase the number of maths, science and technology graduates, with a 37% rise since 2000 – easily outstripping the target of 15%.

Significant, but insufficient, progress was made on reducing the school drop-out rate, increasing the number of pupils completing upper secondary education, improving reading literacy skills and increasing the share of adults participating in education or training.

The Europe 2020 jobs and growth strategy retains the target of reducing the school drop-out rate to under 10%, as well as increasing the share of graduates to at least 40%.

European Commission: DG Education & Training: Progress towards the common European objectives in education and training (2010/2011) - Indicators and benchmarks http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-policy/doc/report10/report_en.pdf

European Commission: MEMO/11/253: Frequently asked questions: Key report on progress and performance in education and training in EU countries http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/11/253&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

European Commission: SPEECH/11/288: Press conference on education benchmark report http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/11/288&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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