SDG 4 Quality education

SDG 4 is about ensuring that people have the knowledge and skills they need to work and participate in society. Good and accessible education is important for everyone, at any age or stage of life, from preschool and primary school to ‘lifelong learning’.

• The vacancy rate in education is no longer increasing.
• Compared to other EU countries, a large proportion of adults are in education.
• Among the EU-27, the Netherlands has the highest proportion of residents with at least a basic level of digital skills.

Dashboard and indicators

Colour codes and notes to the dashboards in the Monitor of Well-being

Education is key to ensuring the well-being of both the current inhabitants of the Netherlands and the next generation. Accessible education for everyone is important, from preschool and primary school to vocational and university education and ‘lifelong learning’. This is why, in the context of this SDG, the term ‘education’ encompasses primary, secondary and tertiary education (senior secondary vocational education (MBO), higher vocational education (HBO) and university), as well as professional training courses and workshops.

Resources and opportunities concern investment in education and the infrastructure, human resources and affordability of education. In 2024, the government spent 5.1 percent of the Netherlands’ GDP on education, which was average compared to other EU countries in 2023. Remuneration of employees makes up a substantial component of government expenditure on education. The number of hours worked in education per inhabitant is increasing. Teaching and knowledge transfer require human resources, which is why the recent increase in the number of hours worked in education is positive. In 2025, it averaged 48.3 hours per capita, up from 44.3 hours at the start of the trend period (2018).

The vacancy rate in education is high for the Netherlands compared to previous years and points to a shortage of staff. The vacancy rate in education is no longer rising. Since 2014, the vacancy rate in education has increased almost continuously, to 21 vacancies per thousand jobs in 2023. The vacancy rate declined in 2025, to 16 vacancies per 1,000 jobs. In 2024, the Netherlands was among the EU countries with the most vacancies in education per 1,000 jobs (21st out of 26 countries).

Use concerns preparation for education and participation in education. More than 96 percent of children aged between four and the age at which education becomes compulsory (the child’s fifth birthday) were already participating in education in 2024. In international terms, young people aged 18 to 24 who leave education without a basic educational qualification are counted as early school leavers. In 2025, over 7 percent of young people aged 18 to 24 were part of this group. This share fell between 2013 and 2020, and rose in the years that followed. The proportion of adults (aged 25 to 74) who attend training courses or workshops (‘lifelong learning’) is high compared to other EU countries: over 23 percent of the adult population in 2025.

Outcomes concern educational attainment levels as well as specific skill levels. Having a basic educational qualification makes it easier for people to participate in society. Approximately a quarter of the population (over 25 percent) aged between 15 and 74 had no basic educational qualification in 2025. A high-quality knowledge economy needs people with all kinds of knowledge and skills: balance is key here. The proportion of the population aged 15 to 74 with a higher vocational or university qualification rose to over 38 percent in 2025. The level of educational attainment of the younger generation (aged 25 to 34) is higher than that of the older generation (aged 65 to 74). This proportion is high compared to other EU countries. In 2025, the share of the population aged 15 to 74 having completed general secondary education (HAVO), pre-university education (VWO) or level 2-4 senior secondary vocational education (MBO) fell to slightly over 36 percent. Compared to other EU countries, this share is small.

The period between 2018 and 2022 saw a drop in maths skills not seen since the first measurement in 2003. However, since the maths performance of 15-year-olds also declined in other EU countries, Dutch pupils still have higher scores than many of their peers in the EU. Reading scores began to decline in 2012, and this trend continued in 2022. The Netherlands lags behind most other EU countries in reading skills. The latest figures are from 2022 and are part of the PISA survey, which is conducted every four years in the OECD countries.

In the Netherlands, a relatively large proportion of the population has taken advantage of the opportunities available to develop their digital skills. Nearly 84 percent of inhabitants aged between 16 and 74 have at least basic digital skills, putting the Netherlands in first place in the EU in this respect in 2025. Digital skills are becoming ever more important for social and economic participation. Although these skills form an integral part of education and family life for younger generations, older generations have developed and maintained these skills mainly through self-learning.

Subjective assessment relates to how people experience education and their educational opportunities. The proportion of adults who are satisfied with their educational opportunities is trending upwards, to 84 percent in 2025. This is average compared to other EU countries.