Bulgaria faces high youth overcrowding and low lifelong learning rates

Recent Eurostat data reveals significant social and educational challenges in Bulgaria. Over half of young people aged 15 to 29 (52.8%) live in overcrowded households, a figure substantially higher than the EU average of 26.9%. While Romania and Latvia report even higher rates of youth overcrowding, Bulgaria remains among the highest in the European Union. Overcrowding is measured by whether a household has the minimum required number of rooms for its occupants.

In terms of professional development, Bulgaria ranks near the bottom of the EU for lifelong learning. Only 6% of Bulgarians aged 25 to 64 participated in any form of training in the last four weeks. Data from the OECD suggests that 72% of adults in the country do not wish to participate in further training, citing reasons other than cost or time constraints. Experts note that while the EU average for lifelong learning among those over 25 is 9.7%, the rate in Bulgaria is only 1.3%, highlighting a gap in personal motivation and state policy.