In Europe, social origin and educational success still correlate far too closely.
95% confidence
EducationEuropean Union
Omissions
The claim does not specify a particular time period or metric. The most recent comprehensive data is from OECD Education at a Glance 2025 (published September 2025, containing 2024 data) and the European Commission Education and Training Monitor 2025.
The OECD's 'Education at a Glance 2024' report notes that educational attainment varies significantly by parents' educational level, with children of tertiary-educated parents being much more likely to complete tertiary education themselves.
PISA 2022 results (published December 2023) showed that socio-economic status remained one of the strongest predictors of student performance across EU countries.
Sources
PrimaryOECD Education at a Glance 2025Educational attainment and outcomes continue to vary significantly by socio-economic background across OECD and EU countries. Children of tertiary-educated parents are more than twice as likely to complete tertiary education compared to those from lower-educated families.
PrimaryOECD Education at a Glance 2024High quality education systems, with fair access for children from all social and economic backgrounds, can be a means to lift people out of poverty and boost social mobility, but persistent inequalities remain.
PrimaryEuropean Commission Education and Training Monitor 2025The average share of 25-34-year-olds with tertiary qualification has increased from 36.5% in 2015 to 44.1% in 2024, but significant disparities persist based on socio-economic background across EU member states.
PrimaryOECD Intergenerational Social Mobility ReportEvidence on patterns of intergenerational social mobility across countries shows strong links between parental background and children's economic and educational outcomes, with significant persistence across generations in most European countries.