Cyprus ranked second from the bottom is the percentage of upper secondary pupils in vocational education, according to figures issues by Eurostat on Monday.
The EU 28 average was 48%. Cyprus was second from the bottom with 17%.
In 2017, 21.4 million pupils were studying at upper secondary level in the European Union (EU), out of which more than 10.2 million (or 48%) were enrolled in vocational education.
Students usually enter upper secondary school programmes (ISCED level 3) between the ages of 14 and 16.
These programmes are typically designed to complete secondary education in preparation for tertiary education or provide skills relevant to employment, or both. In particular, vocational education programmes are designed to provide learners with the knowledge and the set of skills specific to a particular occupation or trade
Such programmes may have work-based components (e.g. apprenticeships, dual-system education programmes). Successful completion of such programmes leads to labour market-relevant, vocational qualifications acknowledged as occupationally oriented by the relevant national authorities and/or the labour market.
Vocational education at upper secondary level was somewhat dominated by males, who accounted for 56% of pupils studying this type of programme.
Highest share of upper secondary pupils enrolled in vocational education in Czechia and Finland
In thirteen EU Member States, more than half of all upper secondary pupils studied vocational programmes in 2017. Czechia and Finland registered the highest proportion of pupils at upper secondary level enrolled in vocational education (both 72%), ahead of Slovenia (71%), Croatia (70%), Austria and Slovakia (both 69%), and the Netherlands (68%).
At the opposite end of the scale, shares of less than a third were recorded in Ireland (10%), Cyprus (17%), Hungary (23%), Lithuania and Malta (both 27%), and Greece (29%).
This news item marks the European Vocational Skills Week (October 14 – 18).
