Friday, August 20, 2010

Leaving Cert - Girls v. Boys

Once again, girls outperform boys in the Leaving Certificate points race, thus giving them first choice of the most desired places in our third level institutions.

Despite this educational disadvantage, men continue, in general, to outperform women, in later life, in business and the professions.

Does this suggest that we are failing to optimise our very substantial investment in third level education, by over-investing in, ultimately, under-achieving females?

Re-balancing the allocation of third level places, by whatever means, would probably deliver significant long-term economic benefits to the country.

Indeed, creating a bias in favour of males students would be the logical, if politically unacceptable, solution.

Footnote:
Published as a letter in the Irish Times