Page 38 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Contemporary European Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 38
222222222222000000000000000111101000000000432081975460321ear ly school leaving: contempor ary european perspectives
35
European Union
30 (28 countries)
Spain
25
France
20
Luxembourg
15
Slovenia
10
EU benchmark
5
0
Figure 2. Following the EU benchmark for ESL in selected TITA participating countries
(Eurostat, 2016)
Although presentations of benchmarks being attained are very simpli-
fied (see Figure 2), the unsettled questions about their development and ap-
propriate interpretation are much more comprehensive.
Benchmarks are defined as reference levels for average European per-
formance, meaning they should not be considered as concrete targets for
individual member states to reach by 2020. Instead, member states (for ex-
ample, both Slovenia currently with a 4.4% ESL rate and Spain currently
with a 21.9% ESL rate) are invited to consider, based on their national prior-
ities and after taking the changing economic circumstances into account,
how and to what extent they can contribute to the collective achievement
of the European benchmark through their national actions (Ecorys, 2014,
p. 5).
It should be noted that benchmarks never show internal particulari-
ties/problems of a particular education system (e.g. in the case of ESL, dif-
ferent ESL rates between regions, different social groups within a coun-
try etc.) and that, when interpreting the ESL rates in a given country, other
national contextual factors (e.g. welfare tradition, unemployment rate of
ESLers etc.) should also be taken into consideration.
Another important issue present is the statistical infrastructure
at both the EU level and the level of member states, which enables ade-
quate measurement of a selected indicator/benchmark. As seen from the
Education and Training Monitor (European Commission, 2015, p. 34),
38
35
European Union
30 (28 countries)
Spain
25
France
20
Luxembourg
15
Slovenia
10
EU benchmark
5
0
Figure 2. Following the EU benchmark for ESL in selected TITA participating countries
(Eurostat, 2016)
Although presentations of benchmarks being attained are very simpli-
fied (see Figure 2), the unsettled questions about their development and ap-
propriate interpretation are much more comprehensive.
Benchmarks are defined as reference levels for average European per-
formance, meaning they should not be considered as concrete targets for
individual member states to reach by 2020. Instead, member states (for ex-
ample, both Slovenia currently with a 4.4% ESL rate and Spain currently
with a 21.9% ESL rate) are invited to consider, based on their national prior-
ities and after taking the changing economic circumstances into account,
how and to what extent they can contribute to the collective achievement
of the European benchmark through their national actions (Ecorys, 2014,
p. 5).
It should be noted that benchmarks never show internal particulari-
ties/problems of a particular education system (e.g. in the case of ESL, dif-
ferent ESL rates between regions, different social groups within a coun-
try etc.) and that, when interpreting the ESL rates in a given country, other
national contextual factors (e.g. welfare tradition, unemployment rate of
ESLers etc.) should also be taken into consideration.
Another important issue present is the statistical infrastructure
at both the EU level and the level of member states, which enables ade-
quate measurement of a selected indicator/benchmark. As seen from the
Education and Training Monitor (European Commission, 2015, p. 34),
38
