Girls Fall Behind in Mathematics as Gender Gap Widens Again

A new international assessment shows that girls are once again falling behind boys in mathematics. In 2023, 81% of the education systems studied showed a significant gap in favor of boys at the primary level, up from 52% in 2019. Additionally, 21% of systems recorded a higher proportion of girls below the minimum proficiency level, an increase from just 4% in 2019. This trend has broader implications, as women remain underrepresented in STEM fields, accounting for only 36% of graduates.