The school dropout rate in the Netherlands was reduced in recent years to 8.8 percent in 2012. The rate across the EU was also gradually reduced. The reduction of school dropouts is high on the national and international policy agenda.
Read publicationApproximately 15 percent of 2 to 25-year-olds struggle with overweight. Yet, nearly all young people assess their state of health as good. Young members of low-income households are more often overweight and have more GP contacts than their counterparts in the households with the highest incomes.
Read publicationThe number of underage children at risk of poverty has increased in 2011. In the provinces of South Holland and Groningen, more children grow up in poverty than in other provinces. In more than half of cases, families do have enough money to go on holiday.
Read publicationA growing part of 18-24 year-olds embark on a study in higher vocational education (hbo) or university (wo). Women and young people with a non-western background are the main contributors to the increase. The proportion of students in general secondary vocational education (mbo) has remained stable in recent years.
Read publicationSlightly fewer than half of all people aged between 12 and 25 responded in 2009 that they had a religious denomination. This share has fallen by 6 percent points since 1997. Church attendance is low among young people. About one in seven goes to church or to a religious gathering at least once a month.
Read publicationRelative to other European countries, many young people in the Netherlands attend some form of education. The number of young people leaving school without a basic qualification is also below the European Union (EU) average.
Read publicationCompared with a few years ago, the situation in which young people with a non-western foreign background in the Netherlands find themselves has improved in a number of areas. They are better educated and more of them have jobs. In spite of this, they still have some catching up to do with respect to native Dutch young people.
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