21 percent of Turkish adults engage in education, training: Eurostat

ISTANBUL

The proportion of adults of working age taking part in education and training was 20.9 percent in Turkey as of 2016, according to figures recently released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union in Luxembourg.

The figure was based on surveys conducted with Turkish adults aged 25-64, taking into account their either formal or non-formal education and training during the last 12 months.

The Eurostat report released on Dec. 10 said that 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 organized outside the formal education system.

The 20.9 percent recorded for Turkey was one of the lowest rates among European countries. The figure was 45.1 percent for Europe in 206 – a substantial increase from 35.2 percent recorded in 2007.

In 2016, the highest participation rates across EU member states were recorded in the Netherlands with 64.1 percent and Sweden with 63.8 percent, Eurostat said.

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 with 16.7 percent and Romania with 7.0 percent.