On August 12, 2026, we celebrate International Youth Day. This is an opportunity to highlight the creativity, dynamism, and initiative of young people in Luxembourg, as well as the fact that they are already helping to build the society of tomorrow.
FEDAS Luxembourg’s social advocacy initiative draws on this year’s theme—“Different Contexts, Shared Aspirations”—to highlight that, despite their differences, young people share the same aspirations for dignity and equal opportunities.
These shared aspirations are sometimes limited by the reality of dropping out of school. Behind the statistics are young people with different backgrounds but who share the same ambitions: to learn, to find their place in society, and to build a dignified future. When these prospects slip away, the risk of dropping out increases.
School dropout: a process, not a single event
Behind a term that is sometimes reduced to mere statistics lie personal stories, hopes, and challenges—and, above all, the need to take early and concrete action.
School dropout—that is, leaving the school system without a diploma—is not an “individual failure”; but is often the result of several individual and collective factors: unaddressed learning difficulties, a lack of support, family problems, economic obstacles, poor health, bullying, or even the feeling that school is pointless.
Understanding what's really at stake
People sometimes imagine that dropping out happens “all of a sudden.” In reality, it often happens in stages:
- declining motivation and gradually increasing absenteeism
- problems that keep piling up (without a chance to catch up)
- a sense of failure and loss of confidence
- isolation, sometimes linked to bullying or school-related stress
- a feeling that there is no concrete future at school
At this stage, the main risk is not just failing to complete one’s education. It is the gradual narrowing of opportunities: access to employment becomes more difficult, precariousness increases, and self-esteem erodes.
Why It's essential to take action
Investing in education means investing in a country’s future. But it also means giving young people what they need to get back on their feet: real opportunities.
Young people don’t need to be “judged”; they need guidance. Every young person who stays in the school system, or those who find their place there, represent a future that is more stable, more independent, and often more united.
Call for Participation in the 0/12 Think Tank
On August 12, 2026, we are issuing a call for participation in our think tank dedicated to solutions for preventing school dropout. We want to bring together people who are ready to move from raising awareness to taking action: teachers, educators, students, and career counselors:
Specifically, we invite you to:
- Get involved in our work: participate in thematic focus groups (prevention, support, guidance, remediation, anti-harassment efforts, etc.).
- Share your experience: testimonials, observations from the field, and ideas for approaches that have worked (or haven't worked as well).
- Help develop recommendations: collaboratively develop concrete and actionable proposals for education stakeholders and policymakers.
Whether your expertise comes from an institutional, academic, or nonprofit background, your perspective matters. School dropout rates cannot be addressed with a single approach: we need a variety of ideas grounded in the realities of young people’s lives.
Join our think tank
and let's work together to build sustainable solutions that focus on young people and the success of each individual's journey.
Dropping out of school is not inevitable. It is a warning sign: a sign that the system—or the support network surrounding the young person—did not respond early enough.
On August 12, 2026, let’s commit to creating pathways where success is not a privilege, but a right.
Because young people deserve better than to be abandoned. They deserve solutions.