The gap in performance between boys and girls in Ireland's education system is widening, according to findings in a report published today by the Department of Education.
Girls continue to outperform boys in both Junior and Leaving Certificate exams and more girls remain on in education to pursue higher and further studies than boys.
Commenting at the publication of the report in Dublin this morning, Minister for Education Mary Hanafin said "While this gender performance is not peculiar to Ireland, it does raise questions for families, society and policy makers alike."
With males accounting for almost two thirds of pupils who leave school before completing the Leaving Cert, Minister Hanafin said the Government was continuing to target resources to help reduce the number of early school leavers.
Although the report, entitled Sé Sí, examines the issue of gender in education from primary school through to higher and further education, it also examines the gender make-up amongst education personnel over the past 75 years.
The report identifies a 'severe gender imbalance' among primary teachers where women accounted for 87 per cent of primary level school teachers in 2003.
Women comprise only 53 per cent of principals despite their overrepresention at primary level, a ratio which the report says makes women 'quite severely under-represented at the school principal level.'
Minister Hanafin said it was "very interesting" that most senior positions within schools, higher education institutions and in the Department of Education and Science are mainly held by males. "The under representation of females at senior levels in the university sector is most severe," she added.
Minister Hanafin said she hoped the report's findings would stimulate debate and further research "on the key issues relating to the whole area of education and gender issues in Irish society."