Last week’s Leaving Cert results and the subsequent first round of CAO offers have naturally brought about the all too familiar bout of late August navel-gazing.
As always there is the pondering as to why maths and science subjects continue to produce sub-standard results, a topic that tends to dominate the subsequent debate in a climate that is demanding graduates that will fit the designs of a so-called ‘smart economy.’
Another old chestnut has emerged, however, that is almost now taken as a given.
According to RTE
Girls have outperformed boys in the Leaving Certificate exams once again this year.
Data compiled by the State Examinations Commission shows girls achieving more As, Bs and Cs than boys across almost all subjects and levels.
In the three core subjects, English, Irish and Maths, young women are ahead, in some cases significantly.
In Ordinary Level Irish for instance they are 14% more likely to get an A, B or C.
The gap is narrowest in Higher Level Maths, but girls are still ahead, by 1%.
The trend continues even in areas traditionally thought of as more male-orientated.
An analysis of Higher Level papers in subjects such as Applied Maths, Physics, Construction Studies and Agricultural Science shows girls well ahead in all instances.
Naturally this begs the obvious question; why is there a discrepancy between exams, in which women excel, and the workplace where they, by and large, continue to be under-represented?
While this is the most striking question to arise from this situation, it would be just as wrong to neglect the situation itself – why does this inconsistency exist in the first place?
Two years ago a study of over 1,000 men in Britain found that boys will perform better in education if they are taught by men.
During her stint as Minister for Education, Mary Hanafin expressed her concern at the number of men teaching in Irish schools.
According to that piece:
Ms Hanafin raised concerns as two out of every five primary schools in the country have no male teachers and many others have just one male teacher.
While the under-representation of women in the workplace is a wrong that has to be put right, the educational environment is in danger of an equally unwanted bias in the dwindling number of male teachers. Are quotas needed in Irish schools?
Posted by Joe 
Backbench Revolt 
