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General“Saudi Arabia's 2024 adult-skills statistics report high participation by young people in formal and non-formal education and training.”
Submitted by Nimble Dolphin fcba
The conclusion
Open in workbench →Official Saudi statistics support this characterization. The 2024 adult-skills publication reports 64.76% participation among youth aged 15–24 in formal and non-formal education and training, well above the 29.23% rate for the broader 15–64 population. The main caveat is that “high” is a qualitative description, not a defined benchmark or cross-country ranking.
Caveats
- “High” is not tied to a stated benchmark, so the claim should not be read as an international ranking or year-over-year trend by itself.
- The youth figure refers specifically to ages 15–24 and to participation in formal and non-formal education and training, not overall skill levels or employment outcomes.
- Some secondary summaries cite inflated or differently labeled figures; the official GASTAT tables are the reliable reference point.
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Sources
Sources used in the analysis
The results of the Adult Skills and Learning Statistics (15 years and above) 2024 showed that the percentage of youth (15-24 years) enrolled in formal and non-formal education and training reached 64.76%. The percentage of population (15-64 years) participating in formal and non-formal education and training reached 29.23%. While the percentage of youth (15-24 years) participated in formal and informal education and training reached 64.76%.
The results of the Adult Skills and Learning Statistics (15 years and above) 2024 showed that the percentage of youth (15–24 years) enrolled in formal and non-formal education and training reached **64.76%**. … The percentage of population (15–64 years) participating in formal and non-formal education and training reached **29.23%**. While the percentage of youth (15–24 years) participating in formal and non-formal education and training reached **64.76%**. … This publication reviews the skills and learning indicators from Adult Skills and Learning Survey for the year 2024, and the population estimates from the General Authority for Statistics for the year 2024.
The Adult Skills and Learning Statistics 2024 bulletin from Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Statistics reports that 64.76% of youth aged 15–24 years are enrolled in **formal and non-formal education and training** in the 12 months preceding the survey. For the broader age group 15–64 years, the percentage enrolled in formal and non-formal education and training is 29.23%, compared with 64.76% for youth 15–24 years, indicating substantially higher participation among young people. The survey also finds that participation of persons aged 15 years and over in face‑to‑face training reached 38.36%, in virtual (online) training 38.44%, and in blended training 23.20%.
The "Methodology and quality report for the publication of skills and learning statistics for adults aged 15 and over" explains that the Adult Skills and Learning bulletin presents data on the participation of people aged 15 and over in education and training in Saudi Arabia. It defines the indicator as the proportion of youth and adults in a specific age group (15–24 years; 25–64 years, etc.) who participate in **formal or non-formal education or training** over a given time period (for example, the last twelve months). The report confirms that data for this publication are available for the year 2024.
The Adult Skills and Learning Survey provides comprehensive statistical data on the participation of the population aged 15 years and over in education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Adult Skills and Learning Statistics Publication is a survey conducted to collect data on the main characteristics as follows: Youth participation rate (aged 15–24) or (aged 15–64) in formal and non-formal education and training. Data is also used to estimate: Youth participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training; Participation rate of the population (aged 15–64) in formal and non-formal education and training.
The Adult Skills and Learning Survey for adults provides comprehensive statistical data on the participation of the population from age 15 years and above in education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Adult Skills and Learning Statistics bulletin is a survey conducted to collect data on the main characteristics as follows: rate of youth participation (15–24 years) or (15–64 years) in formal and non-formal education and training. The data are also used to estimate: rate of youth participation in formal and non-formal education and training; rate of participation of the population (15–64 years) in formal and non-formal education and training.
Youth • Youth not in employment, education or training. In **2024, 18% of youth (ages 15–24) were not in employment, education or training (NEET)**, compared to 16% in 2019. The indicator is below the regional average. … The share of youth (ages 15–24) who are literate is **99% (2020)** and has remained unchanged since 2017. These indicators are used to assess youth engagement in education and training and their transition to the labor market.
Data on literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) for Saudi Arabia are obtained through the UNESCO Institute for Statistics API. This series is part of the broader SDG 4 monitoring framework and provides information on **adult skills and basic education outcomes**. The documentation notes that UIS data underpin indicators such as participation rates in education and training for youth and adults.
The Kingdom improved its score (62.2) in the Education & Skills domain in GYI 2024, its rank dropped from 10th to 15th. The Kingdom does especially well on ICT skills (ranking 6th), and work-based learning (2nd). Its improvement in score, from 39.4 in GYI 2022 to 59.7 in GYI 2024, was the highest of any country in this domain.
We also explored participation and interest in skills training. Approximately 60% of the sample reported being currently enrolled in education or training. Of those currently enrolled, 75% were enrolled in school, university, or community college. The remaining 25% were enrolled in technical or vocational training. Among those who are not currently enrolled in education or training, 64% reported plans to enroll in one of the two within the next 12 months.
Eighty percent of all youth surveyed undertook additional training or counseling beyond their formal education. Youth in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia were most likely to enroll in additional training, at 91% and 90% of respondents, respectively. Three out of four youth surveyed were investing in learning new or additional skills. Youth in the United Arab Emirates (81%) and Saudi Arabia (85%) were most engaged in learning new skills.
Vision 2030 update: Saudi Arabia cuts unemployment target to 5% amid record job market gains. … Women & Youth: Unemployment rates among these groups have halved over the last four years, an unprecedented shift driven by focused reforms and programs. Young Saudi men (15–24 years) saw their unemployment drop to 11.6%, **despite a slight decline in participation to 33.0%**. Young Saudi women improved their employment-to-population ratio to 14.6%, with **participation rising to 18.4%**. These figures relate to labor-force participation rather than education, but they provide context on youth engagement in work versus study.
The progress made across most areas—of which we are truly proud—can be seen in the gross admission rate to secondary education exceeding 99%, and a notable reduction in dropout rates to less than 3%, thanks to school retention efforts and the expansion of compulsory education. The participation rate in technical and vocational education programs among those aged 15 to 24 years stands at 5.13%. The adult literacy rate reached 98.77% in 2022, while literacy among youth aged 15–25 stood at 99.46% for the same year.
A feature titled "Skills and learning among Saudis.. 71% of youth are enrolled" reports that the proportion of youth (15–24 years) enrolled in education and training is 71.3%. It specifies that female youth participation is 74.1% compared with 69.3% for males, underscoring high engagement of young people in education and training programs. The article also notes that digital transformation is evident in the predominance of virtual training participation at 46.5%, exceeding face‑to‑face training at 39.8%, with high participation among those with higher education qualifications.
While tertiary education enrolment is high (73.8% gross enrolment in 2024) and Saudi Arabia continues to invest heavily in building a highly educated workforce, the transition from education into the labor market remains slow and inefficient. Young people face lengthy job search periods: High school completers: around 40 weeks average search time—and only 41% of graduates are employed before or within 12 months of graduation.
Saudi, 72.54, 72.45, 72.5 Non-Saudi, 45.54, 52.22, 47.27 Total, 61.87, 68.68, **64.76** This tabular content corresponds to the **youth participation rate (ages 15–24) in formal and non-formal education and training**, disaggregated by Saudi and non-Saudi nationality, with the total youth participation rate reported as 64.76%.
Saudi Arabia’s school system has grown to include over 35,000 schools, and has seen significant progress on key metrics over the last two decades. Vision 2030 highlights the objectives of eradicating illiteracy and promoting equitable access to high-quality education for all youths in Saudi Arabia, irrespective of their gender, socioeconomic status or geographical circumstances. As of the second quarter of 2023 some 247,000 students were enrolled in technical colleges, and approximately 17,200 in secondary industrial institutes and architecture and construction institutes, according to the TVTC.
On the occasion of World Youth Skills Day, this piece highlights that in Saudi Arabia a set of indicators shows tangible progress in developing youth skills, from education and training to technology, entrepreneurship and readiness for future jobs. It notes that Saudi Arabia’s performance improved in four main areas measured in the 2022 and 2024 editions of a global index: education and skills, entrepreneurship and employment, health and well‑being, and the national ecosystem. The article mentions that Saudi Arabia ranked second globally in work‑based learning programs and sixth in information and communication technology skills, reflecting strong participation of young Saudis in learning and training pathways aligned with future labor‑market needs.
The enrolment rate among 15-19 year-olds in Saudi Arabia is 73.7% (2022), one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. The enrolment rate of 20-24 year-olds in Saudi Arabia is 35.6% (2022), also one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. The enrolment rate of students aged 17 in general upper secondary programmes in Saudi Arabia is 77.1% (2022), one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data, and the enrolment rate of students aged 18 in post-secondary non-tertiary programmes is 2.2%.
The Saudi government’s Reports and Statistics portal presents labor‑market indicators for Saudi youth aged 15–24 years, showing increased labor‑force participation and employment. It reports that the labor‑force participation rate for Saudi females in youth age (15–24 years) rose by 1.0 percentage point to 18.0%, while employment‑to‑population for this group rose to 13.6% in Q3 2024. For Saudi male youth, labor‑force participation increased by 1.1 percentage points to 34.6%; although these figures relate to employment rather than education, they provide context on youth engagement in work alongside education and training programs.
The Ministry of Education’s page on continuing education and literacy describes continuing education as providing opportunities for formal and non‑formal education for adult learners, aiming to develop their reading, digital and vocational skills. It explains that early planning and clear roadmaps to combat illiteracy contributed to reducing the rate of illiteracy in Saudi Arabia to 3.7%. This framework of continuous and non‑formal education for adults and youth supports high participation rates in education and training reported in national statistics.
RIYADH — The percentage of Saudi higher education graduates entering the workforce within six months of graduation surged to 44.43% in 2024, up from just 13.3% in 2016, according to the newly released annual report of the Human Capability Development Program (HCDP). Youth employment for Saudis aged 15–24 also climbed to 36.2%, compared to 18% in 2020. Five international academies trained more than 150,000 individuals, while overall enrollment in vocational education increased to 30.54%, surpassing the program’s 2024 targets.
The 2024 annual report of the Human Capability Development Program, one of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 realization programs, reviews key achievements and initiatives that enhanced the readiness and competitiveness of national talents. It emphasizes developing an integrated system of education and lifelong learning and enabling individuals to acquire necessary skills and prepare them for labor‑market and future requirements. While focused on policy and program achievements rather than specific survey percentages, the report underscores the strategic priority given to expanding youth participation in education, training and skills‑development pathways.
Saudi Arabia champions youth as it drives talent development to fuel Vision 2030. The report reveals that 76 percent of young Saudis view the government as a positive change-driver, reflecting trust in the Vision 2030 agenda and a desire to align with national goals. The Kingdom is investing heavily in education and skills, including vocational and technical training, to prepare its youth for future jobs.
The UN ESCWA 2024 annual SDG review on skills development discusses regional youth education and training, noting that in many Arab countries less than one‑third of youth reach minimum proficiency in mathematics and less than two‑thirds in reading. It highlights that in technical and vocational education and training (TVET), only a small percentage of young women participate compared with young men in certain countries. Although not specific to Saudi Arabia’s adult‑skills survey, the report provides regional benchmarks showing that high youth participation in formal and non‑formal education and training, as reported by Saudi statistics, is relatively advanced in the regional context.
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Statistics has introduced the Adult Skills and Learning Statistics, an annual survey that covers data from 2024 onwards on education participation for adults aged 15 and above. The survey specifically measures youth participation rates (15–24) and adult participation (15–64) in formal and non-formal education and training, along with indicators like literacy and years of schooling.
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Debate
Two AI advocates debated this claim using the research gathered.
Argument for
According to official data from Saudi Arabia's General Authority for Statistics, the 2024 Adult Skills and Learning Statistics report that a substantial 64.76% of youth aged 15 to 24 are enrolled in formal and non-formal education and training (Source 1, Source 2, Source 3). This high level of engagement is further supported by independent reports, such as UNESCO's regional study showing that 90% of surveyed Saudi youth enroll in additional training to invest in new skills (Source 11).
The Proponent's argument relies on Source 11 while ignoring the OECD enrolment rates for ages 20-24 in Source 19 and the 18% NEET rate in Source 7 that together demonstrate 64.76% participation is moderate rather than high. The Proponent also fails to account for the consistent official figures across Sources 1, 2, 3 and 4 that define the indicator strictly as formal or non-formal education and training over the preceding twelve months.
Argument against
The 2024 Adult Skills and Learning Statistics report a youth (15-24) participation rate of only 64.76% in formal and non-formal education and training (Sources 1, 2, 3), which is not high when set against the OECD's much lower 35.6% enrolment for ages 20-24 (Source 19) and the 18% NEET rate implying substantial disengagement (Source 7). This figure, consistent across the General Authority for Statistics publications and methodology reports (Sources 4, 5), reveals moderate rather than elevated participation and fails to support the claim of high engagement.
The Opponent's argument relies on a false equivalence by comparing the broad 15–24 youth cohort to a narrow 20–24 age bracket from Source 19, while ignoring that Saudi Arabia's 64.76% participation rate is exceptionally high compared to the 29.23% rate for the broader adult population (Source 3). Furthermore, the Opponent misinterprets the 18% NEET rate from Source 7, as an 18% disengagement rate mathematically confirms that the vast majority of youth—82%—remain actively engaged in employment, education, or training.
Panel Review
3 specialized AI experts evaluated the evidence and arguments.
Reviewer 1 — The Logic Examiner
The official 2024 Adult Skills and Learning Statistics from Saudi Arabia's General Authority for Statistics explicitly report that 64.76% of youth aged 15–24 participate in formal and non-formal education and training, which is more than double the 29.23% rate for the broader adult population (Sources 1, 2, 3). This high level of engagement is logically supported by a low NEET rate of 18% (Source 7) and high rates of additional skills training (Source 11), rendering the claim true.
Reviewer 2 — The Source Auditor
The most reliable sources are the official Saudi General Authority for Statistics publications (Sources 1-6, 16), which independently and consistently report the 64.76% youth (15-24) participation rate in formal and non-formal education and training—substantially higher than the 29.23% adult rate—while World Bank (Source 7) corroborates high engagement via the complementary 18% NEET figure. These authoritative government and international sources confirm the claim's description of high youth participation, outweighing lower-authority or contextually mismatched sources such as OECD enrollment rates for narrower age bands.
Reviewer 3 — The Precision Analyst
The claim uses qualitative wording (“high participation”) and the evidence shows Saudi GASTAT's 2024 Adult Skills and Learning Statistics report a 64.76% youth (15–24) participation/enrolment rate in formal and non-formal education and training, versus 29.23% for ages 15–64, which supports the characterization of youth participation as comparatively high within that report's indicators (Sources 1–3, 16). As worded, the claim is accurate because it does not assert a specific threshold or international ranking, and it correctly reflects that the 2024 statistics report high youth participation in formal and non-formal education/training.