Figures from the Portuguese National Statistics Institute (INE) released on Friday showed that in 2014, the rate was 17.4% (compared with 23% in 2011), but still more than the EU average of 11.1%.

Portugal’s rate is even further from the average defined in the Europa 2020 strategy, which aims to bring drop-out rates down below 10%.

The fall in the rates could be seen in all parts of Portugal, but none reached the EU average.. The best regions were the Centre (14%) and the Greater Lisbon area (14.4%), while the highest rate was in the Azores with over 30% and 20% in Madeira and the Algarve.