Oct. 30, 12:26 EDT 


More boys leave school 
Higher high school dropout rate increases risk of unemployment 


Carmela Fragomeni
The Hamilton Spectator 

Boys continue to drop out of high school at a higher rate than girls, increasing their risk of ending up in poor jobs or unemployed.

A Statistics Canada report on the gap in achievement between boys and girls yesterday says all is not well in education, despite a decline in dropout rates and Canada's rank among the best in the world for its number of post-secondary students.

The report says evidence shows more young men than women are having difficulty in school. Girls are more likely to score well on literacy tests and are more likely to go on to post-secondary education. Other countries are having similar experiences.

The reasons are not clear.

The big gap between boys and girls is in reading. Any gap in the sciences and math is insignificant.

But strong literacy skills are essential for success in school, and success in school is more likely to lead to good jobs, the report points out.

"Individuals without university, college or trades training after high school are more likely to experience unemployment, be in temporary jobs or in jobs that pay poorly and offer little chance of advancement."
The high school dropout rate decreased between 1991 and 1999 from 18 per cent to 12, but males continued to drop out at a higher rate. In 1999, 15 per cent of 20-year-old males had not finished, compared to 9 per cent of females.

Females were more likely to get along with teachers and finish homework, and "were less likely than males to think that school was a waste of time."

In 1999-2000, women made up 54 per cent of full-time college students. At universities, the percentage of women in undergraduate programs increased to 58 from 51 in 1988-89.

Another Statistics Canada study released yesterday -- on how immigrant children fare in school -- points out that although immigrant children start school with less reading, writing and math skills than those of Canadian-born parents, the gap between the two groups disappears before the end of elementary school.

Paula Bourne, head of the centre for women's studies in education at the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education, said the new high school curriculum that is "all geared to everyone going onto post-secondary education" could be part of the problem. Students who, under the old system, had basic and applied courses will now disengage further from school, she says.

There are other reasons too.

"Some studies show girls have a much bigger stake in finishing school, because if they don't finish high school, they will get the McJobs ... Boys may feel if they don't have high school, they can still earn a reasonable living."

The disappearance of important skilled trades education is also a problem in a school environment.

Assistant professor Shelley Peterson said some researchers suggest boys don't see reading and writing as masculine activities, or that they are solitary and inactive activities that boys don't like. She also said the problem could be that what is offered for reading in schools is not appealing to boys.

She said some teachers are taking a new approach by using what students are interested in to complement the curriculum.

cfragomeni@thespec.com

905-526-3392