How Many People in Portugal Have a High School Diploma?

Portugal is one of the least-educated nations in Europe, with only 28% of its over-30 population holding a high school diploma. Although Portugal offers free education to its people until they turn 18 years old, only 27% of its men and 32% of its women have completed high school. Many analysts blame Portugal's lack of an educated workforce for its significant economic struggles.

More about education and employment in Portugal:

  • As of 2012, the unemployment rate in Portugal was about 14%, and youth unemployment was about 35%.

  • Portugal's 30% overall high school graduation rate is significantly lower than that of Germany, where 89% of its residents complete high school, and the Czech Republic, where 91% graduate. The percentage of people in the United States who earn a high school diploma or pass their General Educational Development (GED) exam is 85%.

  • Although Portugal's dropout rate is high, Turkey's dropout rate is even higher. About 74% of students in Turkey drop out before graduating from high school.

More Info: www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org

Discussion Comments

Bree99

Thanks for this article. It's very interesting. Also it it would be interesting would be to quote, if known, literacy rates among the nations mentioned. For instance, if in the U.S. our percentage rate is 85 percent, can all 85 percent read, and at what level?

anon306890

Portugal has been unfortunate in its later post-monarchial history, suffering long years of military and religious repression under the Estado Novo regime of General Salazar and the Roman Catholic Church. During this time nothing was done to improve general education in the country and any advocates of free liberal higher education were treated with hostility.

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