Luxembourg Extends Compulsory Schooling Until Age of 18

Luxembourg's Ministry of Education, Children and Youth has announced the extension of compulsory education in the Grand Duchy until the age of 18.

During a press conference on Tuesday 22 February 2022, Luxembourg's Minister of Education, Children and Youth, Claude Meisch, presented plans to extend compulsory schooling until the end of age of 18, which are at the centre of the bill on the right to education and compulsory education.

The extension of compulsory schooling is expected to help to further reduce the school dropout rate and ensure better integration into the professional world. This measure will be accompanied by the establishment of alternative training offers.

"By increasing the duration of compulsory schooling for young people, we are also giving ourselves the obligation not to let young people down", commented Minister Meisch.

Despite a constant improvement in recent years and a school dropout rate that is below the European average, too many young people in Luxembourg are still leaving school without a diploma, according to the Education Ministry: in 2016/17, the rate was 8.15% (1,720 pupils); in 2019/2020, it was 6.92% (1,457 pupils).

In 2020/21, around 647 young people under the age of 18 dropped out of school, 12% of whom entered the labour market. For this school year alone, this represents nearly 570 young people who are NEET ("Not in Education, Employment or Training") and who have few prospects. 

A report on early school leaving, published by the Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER) in October 2021, concluded that the majority of early school leavers had difficulty finding their place in the school system. 

The Education Ministry recalled that one of its priorities is to give children and adolescents fair educational opportunities. "Many young people who drop out of school do not reject school, but rather feel that school is rejecting them. We must create alternative paths to make young people stronger and enable them to complete their schooling", stressed Minister Meisch.

The extension of compulsory education until the age of 18, in line with trends in neighbouring countries, is expected to allow each pupil to benefit from longer and more efficient schooling, thus increasing their chances of success in the future. These two additional years will be dedicated to strengthened individual support.

It is envisaged that this extension will not come into force until three years after the publication of the law in the Official Journal. In the meantime, the Education Ministry will continue its efforts to keep young people in school and to create alternative training offers.