Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 9 Oct 2001

Vol. 541 No. 4

Written Answers. - State Examinations.

Brian Hayes

Question:

112 Mr. B. Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Science his views concerning the difference in leaving certificate results between young men and young women; if his Department has initiated research as to the reasons for the growing differential in exam performance between the sexes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21062/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

The Irish experience in relation to the examination performance of young men and women in the leaving certificate examination mirrors international experience. The difference in the examination results between young men and women is not unique to Ireland.

My Department and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, have commissioned educational research by research agencies on this matter. This research has included an analysis of the possible factors contributing to the performance of young men and women in this examination. Do Schools Differ, was a research project undertaken by the Education and Social Research Institute for my Department which explored the impact of schooling factors on a range of pupil outcomes at junior and leaving certificate levels. This research confirms the different levels of examination performance by gender and also indicates that females make greater progress relative to their initial ability. Girls apply themselves better to homework and study and have higher educational aspirations.

The longitudinal study of the 1994 junior certificate candidates who took the leaving certificate examination in 1996 or 1997, carried out by the Education Research Centre for the NCCA, demonstrated that boys are underrepresented in the group achieving top marks. At the request of the equality committee in my Department, the equality studies department in UCD has been engaged since 1998 in a detailed two phase quantitative analysis of performance of boys and girls in the junior certificate examination in all subjects but with particular attention to mathematics. The report of this research is being prepared for publication by the end of 2001 and its findings will be considered by me in formulating policy in this area.

While some of the above research had a focus on attainment at junior certificate level, nevertheless differences in levels of attainment by gender are maintained right up to leaving certificate level as was shown for the results in 2001. Arising from the ongoing concern raised in relation to the growing disparity in the attainment of boys and girls across all subjects at leaving certificate level, I have asked the equality committee of my Department to commission a detailed analysis of past examination results from the time my Department began to issue disaggregated results by gender in the late 1980s. This will be followed by a research project which will involve a detailed examination of all possible causes of the differ ences in the examination results of young men and women.