The gender gap in education - which has seen girls outperform boys in the Leaving Cert - has widened significantly, according to a major forthcoming report.
The report, from the Higher Education Authority (HEA), finds male students are losing out to their female counterparts in the battle for places in prestige higher level degree courses at third-level.
Last year, only 39 per cent of those accepting places on courses requiring 450 or more CAO points were male; 61 per cent were female.
The report finds that the number of males accepting places on these courses drops still further as the points required for entry increases.
The key findings include:
Some 77 per cent of students in medical and related areas are female;
Female students account for 60 per cent of all those on law degrees;
Engineering and construction are among the few remaining higher level degree areas where males outnumber females.
The HEA report is the first to examine the impact of the relatively poor performance of males in the Leaving Cert. Last year, in the now familiar pattern, girls outperformed their male counterparts in virtually every subject at higher level.
Reflecting these results the gender ratio at third level is 54 per cent female to 46 per cent male. In 2005, one-third of female students got over 400 CAO points compared to only one-quarter of male students .
It is estimated that some 8 per cent of male student drop out of the education system at age 16. By the age of 19, only 45 per cent of males are in full-time education, compared to 61 per cent of females.
Last night, the former president of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, Brian Mooney said the Leaving Cert - with its emphasis on presenting written material in a neat concise manner - was a "female friendly" exam. He also said that part-time working might also help explain the gender gap, as many male students were working more than 20 hours per week.
In a surprising finding, the report says almost one-quarter of those accepting places on courses requiring over 450 points study science, computing, engineering and construction. The Government, business and teachers have been concerned at the low take-up of these courses but the HEA report suggests those taking these courses are of a very high academic calibre.
The report, compiled by Vivienne Patterson plays down fears of a "brain drain" of Irish students into leading British and American colleges. Virtually all of those scoring high points in the Leaving Cert opt to study at third-level colleges in the Republic.
Of those scoring 450 points or more, over 80 per cent study at Irish universities. Of the remainder, 11 per cent go to teacher training colleges, 7 per cent to institutes of technology and 2 per cent to private colleges, like Griffith College or Portobello.
Remarkably, almost half (49 per cent) of those on 550 points or more last year accepted places on courses in medical and related areas.
The report shows a huge increase in the popularity of teaching. Some 13 per cent of those securing 450 points or more opt for teacher training. About 81 per cent of trainee teachers are female.
