The gender gaps in mathematics and reading achievement refer to the finding that, on average, boys and girls perform differently in mathematics and reading skills on tests. On average, boys and men score slightly better in mathematics, although in some countries the gap is reversed, with girls and women scoring higher, and the gender gap has closed in recent years. On the other hand, girls and women score somewhat better in reading skills.
Mathematics and reading gaps by country
The Programme for International Student Assessment assesses the performance of 15-year-olds in mathematics and reading in OECD and OECD partner countries. The table below lists the scores of the PISA 2009 assessment in mathematics and reading by country, as well as the difference between girls and boys. Gaps in bold font mean that the gender gap is statistically significant (p<0.05). A positive mathematics gap means that boys outperform girls, while a negative mathematics gap means that girls outperform boys. A positive reading gap means that girls outperform boys (this is true in every country, so no country has a negative reading gap). There is a negative correlation between the mathematics and reading gender gaps, that is, nations with a larger mathematics gap have a smaller reading gap and vice versa.
Country Mathematics score Mathematics gender gap Reading score Reading gender gap 382 32 413 10 410 26 442 14 535 24 500 32 515 22 506 27 492 21 494 26 420 21 450 22 496 20 470 41 489 20 472 39 534 20 500 39 487 20 500 25 484 19 482 29 365 18 370 22 526 17 508 25 Miranda 398 17 421 18 503 16 494 29 497 16 495 40 512 15 498 40 482 15 487 46 386 15 411 28 466 14 482 47 554 14 534 32 418 13 426 25 527 12 524 35 490 12 494 38 487 12 489 38 372 12 402 31 427 12 424 41 402 12 408 52 388 11 397 36 446 11 464 43 526 11 487 34 442 11 442 40 460 11 478 51 514 10 514 37 529 10 520 39 487 8 496 39 519 8 522 45 447 8 474 43 431 8 362 24 512 8 502 44 562 6 526 31 492 5 480 48 498 5 504 47 544 5 496 37 360 5 370 33 546 4 540 35 495 4 500 49 427 4 424 42 419 4 419 38 420 4 406 40 540 3 536 55 506 3 500 44 496 3 478 51 398 3 388 45 482 2 484 47 468 2 460 45 502 1 484 55 405 0 390 43 372 -1 402 37 386 -1 406 57 494 -2 498 46 Shanghai 600 -2 556 40 380 -3 374 61 404 -3 414 35 428 -4 430 61 368 -5 372 50 331 -6 314 53 477 -6 468 59 421 -6 431 58 Tamil Nadu 350 -7 335 36 414 -8 416 58 378 -11 386 62 462 -15 442 72
See also Gender-equality paradox
References