Monitoring Progress
Regular monitoring of performance and progress is an essential part of the European Union education and training policies. It allows strengths and weaknesses to be identified in the Education and Training 2010 programme and provides guidance on future strategy.
The Council and the Commission publish a joint report on the overall progress made towards the common objectives every two years. Find the latest Joint Report adopted in 2008 and those of 2006 and 2004 as well as the Member States' underlying national reports.Five benchmarks have been set in policy areas where progress is needed in education and lifelong learning across the EU. The targets, to be achieved by 2010, are:
- Not more than 10% early school leavers;
- To cut the percentage of low-achieving pupils in literacy by at least 20%;
- At least 85% of young people to complete upper secondary education;
- Increase the number of university graduates in mathematics, science and technology (MST) by at least 15%, and to decrease the gender imbalance in these subjects;
- 12.5% of the adult population should participate in lifelong learning.
| Benchmark |
2000 (%) |
2006 (%) |
2007 (%) |
| Early school leavers (ages 18-24) |
17.3 |
15.3 |
14.8 |
| Low-achieves in reading (15 years old) |
21.3 |
24.1 |
: |
| Upper secondary attainment (ages 20-24) |
76.6 |
77.8 |
78.1 |
| MST graduates per 1000 young people (ages 20-29) |
2006-2006: 25.9 |
: |
|
| Lifelong Learning Participation (adults aged 25-64) |
7.1 |
9.6 |
9.7 (prov.) |
The annual progress report of the Commission on progress towards the Lisbon objectives in education and training gives a more detailed analysis of progress on indicators and benchmarks.
In May 2007, the European Council adopted 16 core indicators for monitoring education, including the five benchmark above. Read the Council conclusions on a coherent framework for indicators and benchmarks.
Documents
- Council conclusions of 25 May 2007 on a coherent framework of indicators and benchmarks for monitoring progress towards the Lisbon objectives in education and training
- 2008 Joint Council/Commission Report on the implementation of the Education & Training 2010 work programme, "Delivering lifelong learning for knowledge, creativity and innovation" (February 2008)
