Math Gender Gap Widens Globally: Girls' Progress Erased Post-Pandemic
Global Math Achievement: Girls Falling Behind Boys at Alarming Rate
Breaking News — A major international study reveals that girls' math performance is slipping worldwide, with gender gaps widening dramatically since the pandemic. The latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) data shows that fourth-grade boys now outperform girls in the vast majority of participating countries and territories.
Among eighth-graders, the rate of boys scoring higher than girls has increased exponentially since 2019, reversing over a decade of progress toward math equity. The report, released by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement in partnership with UNESCO, highlights a troubling reversal of gains made before COVID-19.
Pandemic Exacerbates Existing Disparities
“Prior data showed girls were catching up with boys in math achievement,” said Matthias Eck, a program specialist for UNESCO’s Section of Education for Inclusion and Gender Equality and one of the report’s authors. “But in the latest data, we see that the gap is widening again between girls and boys, and that's at the detriment of girls, which is quite concerning.”
Eck notes that longer school closures during the pandemic correlate with higher learning loss in math, disproportionately affecting girls. “One of the hypotheses is that disruptions during the pandemic may have exacerbated existing disparities and reduced learning opportunities for girls,” he said. “The fact that girls were out of school could have impacted their confidence, but that's just the hypothesis.”
Background: TIMSS Data and Global Trends
The TIMSS assessment, conducted every four years, measures math and science achievement among fourth- and eighth-grade students. The latest release is the first to capture post-pandemic performance. Results show that among top-performing fourth-graders, 85% of countries and territories skew toward boys.
For advanced math achievement in eighth grade, slightly over half of regions favor boys, while none favor girls in either grade. This echoes U.S. findings from the 2022 Nation’s Report Card, which also showed widening gaps. The gender disparity is most pronounced among students failing to reach basic math proficiency.
Key Findings from the Report
- Fourth-grade gap: The share of regions where girls underperform in basic math has increased, with most showing higher proportions of struggling girls.
- Eighth-grade spike: While the overall underperformance gender gap is shrinking, the number of countries where girls fail more than boys has risen sharply.
- Pandemic link: Longer school closures are associated with larger math learning losses, particularly affecting girls’ confidence and opportunities.
What This Means
This trend signals a major setback in global efforts to achieve gender equity in education. For over a decade, girls were closing the math gap with boys, but the pandemic has erased much of that progress. The widening disparity could have long-term consequences for girls’ future careers in STEM fields, where math proficiency is critical.
Researchers urge policymakers to prioritize targeted interventions for girls, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. “We need to ensure that learning environments are supportive and that girls have access to the same opportunities as boys,” Eck emphasized. Without swift action, the gains in math equity may continue to slip, deepening global gender divides in education and employment.
This story is based on the TIMSS 2023 report, a collaboration between the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement and UNESCO.