Youth NEET
The term NEET refers to young individuals who are not engaged in employment, education, or training. The NEET rate is a critical indicator of youth disengagement from both the labor market and educational opportunities. It encompasses a broad spectrum of youth vulnerabilities, including unemployment, early school leaving, and labor market discouragement. The NEET concept is being emphasized to address these issues and promote decent work opportunities for youth.
Generally, in most countries, youths are defined as persons between the ages of 15 and 24 years. In Tonga, youth are between the ages of 15 and 34 years. The table below summarizes the information from the 2021 Census.
Youth not in education, employment or training by age and sex, Tonga: 2021 |
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Age Group |
TONGA |
Urban |
Rural |
||||||
Total |
Male |
Female |
Total |
Male |
Female |
Total |
Male |
Female |
|
Youth NEET – Youth who are not in education, employment, nor training. |
|||||||||
Total |
9,355 |
3,929 |
5,426 |
1,633 |
628 |
1,005 |
7,722 |
3,301 |
4,421 |
15-19 |
1,749 |
990 |
759 |
279 |
156 |
123 |
1,470 |
834 |
636 |
20-24 |
3,125 |
1,352 |
1,773 |
533 |
215 |
318 |
2,592 |
1,137 |
1,455 |
25-29 |
2,380 |
864 |
1,516 |
445 |
145 |
300 |
1,935 |
719 |
1,216 |
30-34 |
2,101 |
723 |
1,378 |
376 |
112 |
264 |
1,725 |
611 |
1,114 |
Youth working-age population. |
|||||||||
Total |
31,262 |
14,704 |
16,558 |
6,942 |
3,271 |
3,671 |
24,320 |
11,433 |
12,887 |
15-19 |
11,209 |
5,678 |
5,531 |
2,298 |
1,159 |
1,139 |
8,911 |
4,519 |
4,392 |
20-24 |
8,030 |
3,792 |
4,238 |
1,820 |
869 |
951 |
6,210 |
2,923 |
3,287 |
25-29 |
6,349 |
2,748 |
3,601 |
1,529 |
660 |
869 |
4,820 |
2,088 |
2,732 |
30-34 |
5,674 |
2,486 |
3,188 |
1,295 |
583 |
712 |
4,379 |
1,903 |
2,476 |
Youth NEET Rate – Percentage of youth who are not in education, employment, nor training. |
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Total |
29.9 |
26.7 |
32.8 |
23.5 |
19.2 |
27.4 |
31.8 |
28.9 |
34.3 |
15-19 |
15.6 |
17.4 |
13.7 |
12.1 |
13.5 |
10.8 |
16.5 |
18.5 |
14.5 |
20-24 |
38.9 |
35.7 |
41.8 |
29.3 |
24.7 |
33.4 |
41.7 |
38.9 |
44.3 |
25-29 |
37.5 |
31.4 |
42.1 |
29.1 |
22.0 |
34.5 |
40.1 |
34.4 |
44.5 |
30-34 |
37.0 |
29.1 |
43.2 |
29.0 |
19.2 |
37.1 |
39.4 |
32.1 |
45.0 |
Source: Tonga 2021 Population and Housing Volume 2 Analytical Report, Tonga Statistics Department
Total and relative size of the youth population (age 15-24) in Tonga, 2006, 2011 and 2016
Tonga’s Youth: Analysis of the situation of young people based on the 2016 Population and Housing Census
Youth Reports
Contact Person: Mele Sikimeti Manitisa