PRESS RELEASE:
Contact: G. Lawrence DeMarco, LLM
Email: ldemarco@menandboys.net
Phone:  +1-215-901-1930

Nations Must Address Male Education Gap or Face a Stunted Economic Future

August 29, 2024–The World Bank reports that in over 100 countries, boys now have lower secondary and tertiary education enrollment and completion rates than girls, and learning poverty rates are consistently higher for boys across almost every region of the world. (1) The World Bank further reveals the disturbing fact that if boys had the same learning-adjusted years of schooling as girls, a boy’s long-term annual productivity would be 1.3% greater. Maintained over a decade, this represents a productivity increase of 13.9%. (1)(p. 3).

If these issues remain unaddressed, they will not only affect the boys’ future but will also have a long-term detrimental impact on the economy and societal well-being.

Solutions:

As students in many countries begin the new school year, the International Council for Men and Boys calls on all lawmakers to support seven policies to address the educational gap facing young men and boys.  They are:

  1. The government and educational agencies should actively support the initiatives and policies to close the gender attainment gap, similar to efforts for the gender pay gap (2).
  2. Schools should foster an inclusive, fair, and positive learning environment where boys feel encouraged and supported. This includes high expectations, understanding, and targeted encouragement (3).
  3. Implement targeted interventions such as literacy mentoring, role models, and early literacy programs specifically tailored to boys’ needs. (4)
  4. Increase male representation in teaching, particularly in primary education (5), and provide teacher training that focuses on the unique needs and challenges faced by boys. (6)
  5. Support policies that promote greater father involvement in children’s education. (7)
  6. Expand Career and Technical Education programs, which have shown success in engaging boys more effectively than traditional academic tracks. (8)
  7. Assure that college scholarships, extracurricular, and leadership programs are equally available to male students. (9)

Addressing the male education gap is not just a matter of gender equality, but is a necessity for our society’s future to reverse the negative economic impact on society.

We urge you to champion these seven policies, ensuring that every boy has the opportunity to succeed, which will benefit society as a whole.

The International Council for Men and Boys is a non-governmental organization that is working to celebrate the contributions of men to society and to end the 12 sex disparities that affect men and boys around the world.  Achieving #GenderEqualityForMen also will benefit women. https://www.menandboys.net/

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