Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 11 Oct 2000

Vol. 523 No. 5

Written Answers. - Examination Results.

Frances Fitzgerald

Question:

113 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Education and Science if recent leaving certificate and junior certificate results show major disparities between males and females; if so, his views on the reason for this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20966/00]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods):

The Irish experience in relation to examination performance of males and females mirrors the international experience. There is a growing trend internationally for females to achieve better results than males in terms of examination performance at the end of upper second level education. This trend has been evident in Ireland for the past ten years or so and is also reflected in the respective performances of females and males in GCSE O and A Level examinations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

My Department and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment commissioned research by the Educational Research Centre – ERC – St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra, and the Economic Social and Research Institute – ERSI – which includes analysis of the factors contributing to the performance of candidates in examinations. The ERC conducted a longitudinal study of 1994 junior certificate candidates who took the leaving certificate examination in 1996 or 1997. The results confirm that the underachievement of males relative to females at junior certificate level is maintained in the leaving certificate examination. This pattern is also repeated in the case of the 2000 certificate examination results where females outscore males on most subjects at junior certificate and leaving certificate.

An analysis of the results for 16 major subjects at leaving certificate level for 2000 shows that girls perform better than boys in terms of the percentage who achieve at least a grade C at higher level as follows: Irish, English, French, German – on average 7% more girls attain a grade C; mathematics and science subjects – on average 4% more girls attain a grade C; business subjects – on average 2% more girls attain a grade C (boys outscore girls in economics); humanities subjects – on average 6% more girls attain a grade C. At junior certificate level for 13 major subjects the difference is greater: languages 5%, mathematics and science subjects 4%, busi ness subjects 3%, humanities subjects 4%. At ordinary level at both leaving and junior certificate the performance gap widens in all subjects.

Do Schools Differ, a research project undertaken by the ESRI for my Department, explored the impact of schooling factors on a range of pupil outcomes at junior and leaving certificate level. 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. Nevertheless, the report shows that girls tend to have a lower sense of control of their lives, to report higher stress levels and to have lower self-esteem. In response the Department has initiated a number of personal development programmes for both sexes to address self-esteem among lower ability pupils in order to integrate them more fully into the education process.

The eight to 15 early school leavers initiative and the stay at school retention initiative target those pupils most at risk of early school leaving and educational failure. In this context, it is significant that boys are more likely than girls to leave school before the end of their second level education. These interventions, together with improved access to the junior certificate schools programme and leaving certificate applied programme, are part of the strategy to tackle low achievement and, in particular, low achievement by boys.