In the 2024-2025 academic year, there were 82,688 young Catalans between the ages of 16 and 18 living in poverty, of whom 41,507 received a scholarship to study in post-compulsory education. However, almost half (41,181) of these teenagers were left out of the current scholarship system. The Bofill Foundation links this issue to the lack of a support policy in Catalonia that guarantees scholarships to all students in upper secondary education (Bachillerato), intermediate vocational training programs (Ciclos Formativos de Grado Medio), and training and integration programs (PFI) at risk of poverty, which directly contributes to school dropout statistics. In fact, early school leaving among students living in poverty (25.3%) is seven times higher than that of students from wealthier households (3.8%), as evidenced by the latest data from the Living Conditions Survey (ECV), as demonstrated by the organization. "We are clearly seeing that this profile of young people, with fewer economic resources, is the one that drops out of school the most," explains Miquel Àngel Alegre, head of projects at the Bofill Foundation, who emphasizes that "when scholarships are developed with good coverage and adequate amounts, they reduce" school dropout rates. At a time when the State has transferred the management of educational scholarships to the Generalitat (Catalan government), the Foundation is asking the Catalan executive to take advantage of its powers to guarantee scholarships and strengthen the aid policy. In this regard, the organization stresses that, at present, the policy "is minimal," in a context where the Catalan scholarship system represents 1% of the Education budget, below the national average (1.7%). Progressive improvement of the coverage and amount of aid

Aside from what it considers an "insufficient" investment, the Foundation details that the current model "does not adjust to the cost of living or the social situation in Catalonia," leaving 16,200 young people living in poverty outside the at-risk category. Furthermore, the organization also raises the issue of the phenomenon no-take-upThis leads to people who are entitled to aid ultimately not applying due to a lack of clarity or bureaucratic hurdles. With the aim of addressing these problems, the Foundation is proposing a new model to improve the coverage, amount, and accessibility of the aid. Specifically, it proposes increasing coverage from 19.9% ​​to 30% for the 58,475 students living in poverty who are studying post-compulsory secondary education and vocational training programs. "In Catalonia, the indicator we have is 30%, and therefore, that is the benchmark percentage that should be covered," Alegre points out. Furthermore, the project manager of the Bofill Foundation not only emphasizes the need for more scholarships, but also that they should be "better funded" so that these young people can receive 3,000 or 4,000 euros annually, depending on family income, and that the application process should be more accessible. "It may seem less important, but the boys and girls who receive a scholarship feel a responsibility to make the most of their schooling, and that also has an impact on improving their results," Alegre points out. Based on data from the last school year, it is estimated that the Ministry of Education should add €134 million to the €77 million it receives from the Spanish government in order to offer scholarships to all young people at risk of poverty before 2028; this would become a starting point for a broader scholarship policy by 2032.

]]>

Viktor Tsygankov has become a key player for Míchel: he shares the honor of being the team's top scorer, has been instrumental in the last two victories, and is involved in more than one in three of Girona's goals. Girona hosts Atlético de Madrid this Sunday (2 p.m., Movistar LaLiga). But his social conscience extends beyond the pitch. The Ukrainian striker, in collaboration with the Girona Este Foundation and the Bofill Foundation, is an ambassador for the Mentora program, which connects teenagers with adult volunteers who support them in their transition from secondary school to post-secondary studies. The goal is to prevent early school leaving and offer at-risk students trusted role models to help them make decisions and build a future of continued education.

]]>

Completing the first two years of secondary school (ESO) in the same school, holding primary and secondary education in the same center, or extending compulsory education to age 18. These are some of the models adopted by countries like Portugal and Sweden to try to make the transition between educational stages less drastic for students. In Spain, some autonomous communities such as Andalusia, Galicia, Madrid, and Catalonia also opt for these types of models, although they do so partially, not universally, and with little structure.

]]>

For years, early school leaving has been a silent wound in our education system. Every year, thousands of young people drop out of school before completing their post-compulsory education, closing doors to their future.

]]>

The percentage of students who drop out of school early in Catalonia is four points higher than the European average. These are students who have not completed compulsory secondary education (ESO) or, especially, who after completing it do not continue with any type of post-compulsory education such as upper secondary education (Bachillerato) or vocational training (FP). The proportion of Catalan students who leave school prematurely is 13.7%, while the European average is 9.3%. Although since 2017 Catalonia has reduced the dropout rate by more than three pointsThe rate remains far from the 9% target set by Europe. The Catalan government presented its new Action Plan against Early School Leaving this Friday at an event in Vilafranca del Penedès. Neither President Salvador Illa nor the Minister of Education, Esther Niubó, attended, but the new Secretary for Educational Improvement, Ignasi Giménez, was present. The strategy that the government intends to implement over the coming years has ten key areas, including a project to "reconnect" with students who have already left school, more flexible educational pathways, a focus on newly enrolled students, and a series of actions to create a network among various administrations for monitoring purposes.

]]>

In Catalonia, the early school leaving rate is 13.7% (students who drop out before turning 18). Although there is a significant socioeconomic motivation, many of the reasons that lead adolescents to leave school earlier than they would like are hidden behind seemingly insignificant daily practices. This is indicated by the study. Evaluation of measures to ensure the continuity of studies until the age of 18, An analysis that the Barcelona Education Consortium commissioned from the consulting firm KSNET to determine which of the actions being carried out in vulnerable schools in the Catalan capital are most effective in combating early school leaving.

]]>

Being a child of immigrant origins makes it harder to pursue a satisfactory educational path, with a secondary school diploma and formal post-compulsory education. In Catalonia, for example, three out of ten adolescents of immigrant origin drop out of school prematurely, three times that of young people of Spanish nationality, and the case of Roma students is particularly flagrant, with a dropout rate exceeding 80%. Miguel Jiménez, Hatim Azahri, and Déguène Eufemia Seck are three young people who have experienced these abuses firsthand, but, despite the difficulties, have managed to move forward: they have completed university studies and now work as activists to ensure that new generations have more opportunities. Roma students as problematic, which means they no longer dedicate themselves with the same effort, and it generates frustration and a very low self-perception among us Roma, which reproduces this stigma," explains Miguel Jiménez, member of the Fundación Secretariado Gitano. And, speaking of his experience, he adds: "I'm from Terrassa, 4th year of ESO, a teacher looked me in the eyes and told me and to make it clear that I was here, in class, and from then on I started studying, first a higher degree and then social integration at university." However, Jiménez points out that there is still a lot of work to be done because now, when he wants to enroll his daughter in school, he has seen how the community.

]]>