Events

Gender differences – the impact of secondary schooling - boys or girls, who’s winning?

Speakers:

Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun, Honourable Minister of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research, Republic of Mauritius 

The Honourable Katrina Hanse-Himarwa, Minister of Education, Namibia

Tim Oates, CBE, Director, Assessment Research and Development, Cambridge Assessment 
Date: 29 Oct 2015 Venue: Royal College of Physicians, London 11 St Andrews Place Regent's Park, London NW1 4LE
Type: Conference Fee: Free of charge

The Cambridge Assessment conference on ‘Gender Differences’ took place in London on 29 October 2015. The conference brought together more than 600 experts from within the education and assessment community both at the conference and online, with over 30 countries represented. The audience heard from speakers from around the world who unpacked the complex range of issues that surround gender differences in secondary education and how they might be tackled to attempt to remove or at least start to reduce the gap between girls and boys.

We were  privileged to receive contributions from the Ministers of Education in both Mauritius and Namibia. We also welcomed The Honourable Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun, Minister of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research from the Republic of Mauritius to speak on the challenges she faces in Mauritius and her solutions for overcoming them. We then saw a video from Honourable Katrina Hanse-Himarwa, Minister of Education, Arts and Culture, Namibia, where she and her team provided insights into the gender differences and coping strategies in their country.

These speeches, along with the presentation of new research on gender differences in PISA data, GCSE results and the academic test of English Language, helped stimulate an interesting debate in the room and online. Discussion covered engagement levels of both genders, the impact of the gender of the teacher on their learners and the importance of the role of the family.

The debate continues on Twitter @Cam_Assessment using #GenderGap.

Related materials

    • Gender Differences - Opening Video

      Opening Video

    • Introduction Darlene Schroeder

      Chair, Bene’t Steinberg, opens proceedings. A welcome address to the Cambridge Assessment Gender Difference Conference by Darlene Schroeder, Group Chief Technology Officer, Cambridge Assessment

    • Tim Oates CBE provides an analysis of the gender divide

      An analysis of the gender divide from primary school to the workforce by Tim Oates CBE, Director, Assessment Research and Development, Cambridge Assessment

    • Minister of Education for Mauritius on overcoming their challenges

      Mauritius: our challenges and overcoming them by Mme Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun, Honourable Minister of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research, Republic of Mauritius

    • International case study: Namibia

      International case study: Namibia

    • Research: Attitudes to learning - questioning the PISA data

      Dr Tom Benton, Principal Research Officer, Cambridge Assessment presents research on Attitudes to learning - questioning the PISA data

    • Research: Gender differences at GCSE

      Tom Bramley, Deputy Director, Research Division, Cambridge Assessment present research on Gender differences at GCSE

    • Rebecca Cramer, Secondary Head Teacher, Reach Academy Feltham

      Rebecca Cramer, Secondary Head Teacher, Reach Academy Feltham

    • Research: Gender gap in English Language proficiency?

      Dr Nick Saville, Director, Research and Thought Leadership , Cambridge English Language Assessment and colleagues present insights from a test of academic English

    • The big debate on Gender

      Bene’t Steinberg, Group Director Public Affairs, Cambridge Assessment chairs a debate between our speakers and members audience both in the room and online

    • Closing remarks from Simon Lebus

      Simon Lebus, Group Chief Executive, Cambridge Assessment closes the conference

  • An analysis of the gender divide from primary school to the workforce - Tim Oates CBE (PDF, 813KB)
  • Mauritius: our challenges and overcoming them (PDF, 696KB)
  • Attitudes to learning - questioning the PISA data - Dr Tom Benton (PDF, 2MB)
  • Gender differences at GCSE (PDF, 998KB)
  • Gender gap in English language proficiency. Insights from a test of academic English - Cambridge English (PDF, 3MB)
  • Gender differences in GCSE (PDF, 1MB)
11 St Andrews Place Regent's Park, London NW1 4LE