Andorran Student Withdrawals Double as Families Leave Country

Student withdrawals from Andorran schools due to families leaving the country more than doubled in the 2025-26 school year, climbing from 90 cases in 2024-25 to 182, Education Minister Ladislau Baró told lawmakers.

Overall mid-year withdrawals—those recorded after 1 October—increased 61%, from 177 to 285. The 2025-26 figure included 182 exits from Andorra, 58 full dropouts, 41 shifts to different study tracks, and four instances of enrollment without subsequent attendance. By education network, the Andorran system saw 173 withdrawals, Spanish schools 63, French schools 48, and the English system one.

Argentine and Colombian nationals topped the list with 39 withdrawals each, followed by Spanish with 23, Andorran with 15, and Peruvian with 14. In the previous year, Spanish, Argentine, and Andorran students had led the exits. Baró provided the data in response to questions from Pere Baró, acting head of the Social Democrats' parliamentary group, who sought links to economic difficulties, housing access, or living costs. The minister replied that school records track only notified reasons and cannot establish such connections or attribute departures to unrecorded personal or family circumstances.

Mid-year enrollments edged up to 159 from 146, with 78 in the Andorran network, 41 in Spanish, 38 in French, and two in English. Overall first-time enrollments fell from 1,238 in 2024-25 to 1,090 in 2025-26, including 931 at the start of term. New arrivals can enroll immediately if space and documents permit, though Baró noted the added strain on school management, staff, and teachers.

Additionally, 310 students who completed 2024-25 did not return for 2025-26, down from 356 the year before. With about 11,000 students total, Baró described the mobility as moderate and within legal class-size limits, without evidence of system-wide overload.

No dedicated studies assess mobility's effects on pupil-teacher ratios, learning continuity, school environment, linguistic diversity, or staff stress. Future measures include reserving spots for newcomers, improving enrollment monitoring, enhancing linguistic support, and advancing digital tracking.