Federal Inquiry into the growing education gaps, as boys and young men fall further behind

"Boys are falling further behind girls at school, triggering a parliamentary inquiry into the growing gender gap in education as decades of affirmative action sees girls leapfrogging into university.

Federal Education Minister Jason Clare will announce the inquiry into “factors driving educational attainment’’, with a focus on boys’ struggles at school, especially with basic literacy.

It will investigate “factors responsible for the differences between boys and girls’’ in NAPLAN literacy and numeracy testing, school attendance rates, dropout rates and post-school enrolment in university, TAFE or apprenticeships."

A concerning gap has opened up between the proportion of young people who are Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET). Amongst 18-24 year olds, there were 7.2% fewer males in full-time work, education or training as of 2024. This mirrors the UK data, showing that the education and employment prospects for females are improving at the same time as these are worsening for males...

"A new federal Education Department analysis of university enrolments, based on the most recent 2024 data, states that “males are less likely to commence higher education than 10 years ago’’.

Female commencing enrolments grew by 7.3 per cent between 2015 and 2024, while male enrolments fell 5.9 per cent."

This federal inquiry is a fantastic opportunity to lift up all students, and to support all families:

"Mr Clare said he wants to make the education system “better and fairer for every child’’...

Federal opposition education spokesman Julian Leeser urged parents to write to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education if they are “concerned that the education system is leaving your boys behind’’.

“The evidence on boys’ education is compelling … we are seeing gaps at almost every level,’’ he said. “If the committee also finds ways to improve girls’ education, that’s great too, because this has never been a zero-sum game.

“I have a son and a daughter in the education system, and I want them both to succeed – I think almost every Australian parent would feel the same.’’