What does the gender difference in average scores in standardized math and science tests mean?

The education ministry should analyze in detail the results of the latest assessment of the mathematics and science knowledge of students around the world.

The ministry can use the results to investigate the factors behind the gender gap among Japanese students by also referring to other data and consider necessary measures to deal with the problems.

The results of the latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), a large-scale international assessment that every four years measures basic academic skills in mathematics and science, were recently published.

In 2023, the TIMSS assessed 660,000 students in the fourth and eighth grade (equivalent to the second year of junior high school in Japan) in 65 countries and regions. Japanese students continued to demonstrate high achievement in all grades and subjects.

Among the TIMSS results, the gender gap in average scores for science and mathematics is a cause for concern. In both elementary and junior high schools, girls scored lower than boys in these subjects.

Notably, this disparity contrasts with findings from previous national academic achievement surveys in Japan and the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), a global assessment of 15-year-old students’ abilities in reading, mathematics and science, where no such gender gap was observed, according to the ministry.

Due partly to the demands of the industrial sector, the government has been actively promoting women’s participation in science and technology fields.

Initiatives aimed at achieving this goal include programs that provide opportunities for female junior and senior high school students to engage with women working as researchers and engineers.

Furthermore, a growing number of universities are implementing gender quotas in their engineering departments, reserving a certain percentage of admissions slots for female applicants.

Despite various initiatives, the TIMSS 2023 results reveal a widening gender gap in achievement, particularly among eighth-grade students. Compared to the 2019 TIMSS assessment, more countries reported lower average scores for girls than boys.

However, the education ministry has yet to decide whether the results were affected by the content of the test questions, or if this is a sign of a broad trend of a widening gender gap.

In response to the outcomes, the ministry has begun considering analyzing the results of the national academic achievement survey in terms of gender differences from the next year.

The ministry will also embark on research on teaching methods by referring to schools where female students perform well in science and mathematics.

The latest TIMSS survey also revealed insightful data on students’ attitudes and perceptions toward learning, potentially shedding light on factors contributing to the gender gap.

Across all grades and subjects, fewer girls than boys responded positively to statements such as “studying is fun,” “studying is useful in everyday life” and “I am good at learning.”

It is crucial to combat the influence of unconscious bias that might be held by both educators and parents and could discourage girls from pursuing studies in science and mathematics.

This requires actively challenging the stereotypes that suggest women are less suited for these fields. Furthermore, robust support and encouragement should be provided to girls interested in science and technology fields so that they can confidently pursue their passions.

Another concern highlighted by the TIMSS 2023 results is the decline in average science scores for both boys and girls compared to the previous assessment.

This period saw significant disruptions to education due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including limitations on hands-on science experiments and increased reliance on digital devices for instruction. Further analysis is crucial to understand the multifaceted impacts of these disruptions on students.

Attention should also be paid to the results of a survey asking teachers about their levels of satisfaction with their working conditions.

How many responded that they “need more time for lesson preparation” or “feel excessive pressure from parents”? Are the children taught by those teachers affected in their performance?

The ministry needs to analyze and publish these aspects to confirm priorities in promoting work style reforms for teachers.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Dec. 5