Romania ranks last in the EU in terms of share of adults taking part in education or training

Romania is by far the European Union country with the lowest share of working-age adults taking part in either formal or non-formal education and training, according to Eurostat.

Only 7 percent of Romanian adults of working age were taking part in 2016 in either formal or non-formal education and training, compared to 45.1 percent in the EU.

“In 2016, the highest participation rates across the European Union Member States were recorded in the Netherlands (64.1 percent) and Sweden (63.8 percent). In Austria, Hungary, Finland, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Denmark between 50 percent and 60 percent of working-age adults participated in some form of education and training. The lowest rates were observed in Greece (16.7 percent) and Romania (7.0 percent),” Eurostat said.

The proportion of adults of working age taking part in either formal or non-formal education and training has been increasing in the EU over the past decade, from 35.2 percent in 2007 to 45.1 percent in 2016.

Adult participation is mostly in non-formal types of training, such as job-related training courses – which account for the majority of non-formal learning activities – as well as classes on general culture or life skills that are organised outside the formal education system.