During a plenary session, an education spokesperson for a parliamentary group warned of the “profound setback” the region is experiencing in this area, following the increase recorded in the latest official data. The urgency of adopting structural measures to counteract a situation described as “deeply worrying” was emphasized.
“"Not reaching this educational level implies a form of exclusion."
The political representative recalled that reducing early school leaving, which affects young people between 18 and 24 years old without post-compulsory education, is an educational and social requirement, aligned with the objectives of the European Union and the OECD. Completing post-compulsory Secondary Education is crucial for both job insertion and personal development.
The Canary Islands rank as the second autonomous community with the highest rate of early school leaving in the country, with a particularly high incidence among males. Official data confirm a worrying trend, especially when compared to 2022, when the rate was reduced to 11.7%, the lowest figure in decades. However, the 2025 report shows an increase to 15.9%, representing a 4.2-point rise.
“"Not only are three consecutive years of worsening consolidated, but the gap with the state average, which continues to decline and now stands at 12.8%, is widening."
It was lamented that, while the rest of the State shows sustained improvement, Canarias is regressing, attributing this evolution to the absence of effective structural policies. The idea that this situation is inevitable or solely attributable to social or cultural factors was rejected, highlighting that it reflects how generations of Canarians are leaving the educational system without reaching educational levels comparable to the rest of the country.
Proposed measures include reducing student-teacher ratios to improve individualized attention, strengthening Vocational Training with an increase in places, and fulfilling the educational investment target of 5% of GDP, established in the Canarian Education Law. Criticisms from unions and educational platforms, which denounce the deterioration of the system due to lack of investment, high ratios, and socioeconomic difficulties of students, were also echoed.
Currently, 28,824 young people in Canarias are in a situation of early school leaving, a figure described as “unacceptable.” A call for political action and institutional commitment was made, announcing the presentation of a motion in the Plenary to promote concrete measures to reverse this trend.
