Something is not working well in the educational systems of the world -- that is, if you believe in gender equality. A report out this month from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development – the rich list of countries -- tells us that girls and boys “remain deeply divided in their career choices.”
The ABC of Gender Equality in Education: Aptitude, Behaviour and Confidencereport is based on the OECD’s latest PISA study, an exercise which tests 15-year-old school pupils' scholastic performance on mathematics, science, and reading in member and non-member nations.
It says that, while many countries have made progress in narrowing gender gaps in education, new gaps are opening up. Boys are nearly twice as likely as girls to be weak in the core subjects of reading, mathematics and science. But girls struggle to “think like scientists” – that is, to apply scientific learning to new situations – and lack confidence in their ability to do maths.
“Less than one in 20 girls considers a career in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) compared to one in five boys, despite similar performances in the PISA science test,” the report laments. “This matters because careers in these fields are in high demand and among the most highly paid.”