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Battle of the Sexes – Who is Underachieving?

June 15, 2015 by Cynthia Hobbs 2 Comments


 

ID-100107919

Yes, it’s true. A higher percentage of girls than boys obtain passes in the regional Caribbean Secondary Education Council/CSEC Examinations (used as a secondary school leaving exam) in most subject areas. However, in key subjects such as mathematics, more than half of all Jamaican candidates failed in 2013, regardless of sex. Though boys underperform in relation to girls, what is clear is that both boys and girls show low levels of academic achievement and have room for improvement. Therefore, the education system should be striving for excellence for all.

It is important to demand excellence because expectations motivate students; a teacher’s expectations can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. In fact, the link between better learning outcomes and teacher attitudes and expectations towards their students exists regardless of a schools’ socioeconomic background. For instance, an IDB-funded study showed that effective schools in Jamaica engender a culture of high expectation.

How do you raise excellence for everyone? And, should interventions differ according to sex? Although a gendered approach is often talked about, leading experts in Jamaica found that socio-economic background is a greater predictor of school success than sex. And the reality is that the achievement disparity evidenced in school does not translate directly into the work force. Males in Jamaica have higher wage earning potential at all levels of educational achievement compared to females, and males have lower unemployment rates at all ages.

There are economic and social costs linked to under-participation and underperformance, such as dropping out of school, increased engagement in risky behaviours like crime and violence, and lower wages. For this reason, there is a need to address underachievement of both boys and girls. Studies show that strong leadership and good teaching can make a positive difference in student achievement. Here are some other strategies:

  • Increased involvement of parents in the education of their children to provide support and motivation;
  • Teaching of targeted skills, improvement in life skills, and meaningful work experience placement;
  • Improvements in basic literacy and numeracy skills; and
  • Pedagogical support to teachers to identify learning styles of students and apply differentiated teaching strategies to meet the diverse learning needs of their students.

There is no denying that across the English-speaking Caribbean boys are higher underachievers, but in striving for excellence, both boys and girls should be winners.

* Justine Stewart is a Research Assistant working in the IDB’s Jamaica country office.

 

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Filed Under: Jamaica, Social Systems Tagged With: Caribbean development, Caribbean Secondary Education Council, CSEC Examinations, drop outs, Education Council, education policy, gender, glass ceiling, Jamaica, performance, secondary school, underperformance

Cynthia Hobbs

Cynthia Hobbs is a Lead Education Specialist at the Inter-American Development Bank. She has a deep interest in improving teaching quality, and she has taught in primary schools, universities and in courses for adults. She also has conducted research on teaching practices, including intercultural bilingual math education. Prior to joining the IDB, she worked for 15 years at the World Bank where she also oversaw the preparation and execution of education projects in several areas, including early and pre-primary education, primary and secondary education, youth, and transitions from school to work. Cynthia holds a degree in Psychology from Bates College (USA) and a master's degree in International Education from Harvard University.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dana Payne says

    June 15, 2015 at 11:36 am

    Poignant blog. One suggestion for future blogs is that it would be beneficial to use images/photos that Caribbean nationals can more relate to, that reflect the population, than generic stock photos that are somewhat distant from the audience reality. Perhaps it was done deliberately?

    Reply
  2. Cynthia Hobbs says

    June 17, 2015 at 7:40 pm

    Dear Dana,
    Thanks for your comments. Point well taken. Actually I had chosen another picture of Jamaican school children, but we had not received permission to use it when the blog went to press.
    Best,
    Cynthia

    Reply

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We provide unique and timely insights on the Caribbean and its political, social, and economic development. At the IDB, we strive to improve lives in the Caribbean by creating vibrant and resilient economies where people are safe, productive and happy.

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