Overview
- About a quarter of 15-year-olds do not reach basic levels, with 27% below minimum in maths, 24.4% in reading and 21.3% in science, and few high performers compared with the EU.
- Early school leaving stands at 13% versus the EU’s 9.4%, down from 20% in 2015 but still elevated, with higher rates among boys (15.8%) than girls (10%).
- Tertiary STEM enrolment is 24.7% versus 27% in the EU, women represent 28% of STEM students and just 16% in ICT, and 44.4% of students lack basic digital skills.
- The report says the labour market cannot absorb the volume of graduates, resulting in the EU’s highest overqualification rate alongside shortages of STEM specialists.
- Spain earns praise for expanding early-childhood education and targeting vulnerable children through reduced fees and priority admissions.