Abstract

Every child, regardless of gender, has the right to an education that offers not only academic learning but also training in the skills they will need to be successful in their particular environment. However, as recent statistics indicate, a significant percentage of children are still unable to access good quality education and so are denied its associated benefits. While a majority of these children are girls, concerns about boys’ underperformance in schools have also been raised.

This current report is based exclusively on a review of data and literature from secondary sources, augmented by an analysis of data and reports received from some of the Commonwealth countries themselves. A gender-based framework was used to analyse the data and took into account the gender-differentiated factors that could influence the contextual situations and scenarios as represented within the Commonwealth countries. Interventions that address pedagogic practices that move away from reinforcing authoritative practices and instead engage both boys and girls and provide the space (physical, emotional, aspirational), the tools and the capabilities to address the larger anti-social behaviours that characterise sexism, communalism, homophobia and racism have led to positive outcomes for both girls and boys. Interventions that include institutional, social and familial support have also led to emancipatory and transformative changes with respect to boys’ underperformance

Jha, J., Menon, N., & Chatterjee, D. (2017). Boys' underperformance in education: revisiting the issue in the commonwealth. British Columbia: Commonwealth of Learning.