The number of 15 to 25-year-olds leaving school without at least a basic diploma is going down, according to new figures from the national statistics office CBS.

The CBS figures show last year almost one in ten youngsters aged 15 to 25 were not in education and did not have a school leaving certificate. In 2001, 15% of youngsters left school without any qualifications.
Boys account for 13% of the school leavers without any qualifications, girls 7%.
Unqualified school leavers are nearly twice as likely to become unemployed irrespective of the economic situation.
In 2008 when the economy was performing well, unemployment among school leavers without a diploma was at 8% compared with 4% among their qualified peers.