Mary Curnock Cook thinks more should be done to get more boys studying at university
The head of UCAS, Mary Curnock Cook, has suggested that male students are having their progress impeded due to a lack of male teachers.
Her comments have been made on the same day as UCAS releasing data showing the widening gap between the sexes in higher education.
One of her suggestions to rectify the situation is to promote teaching to men, perhaps by advertising the profession more to male students.
She also would like to see more studies on how both male and female students learn following primary school, so the results may be used in the Government’s education policy.
UCAS has released data to show the widening gap between males and females at universities
But although most schools will track the achievement of their boys and girls, there seems to be little focus on the gender gap in education policy
The head of UCAS said: “Does lower achievement for boys have anything to do with the 80 per cent female dominated state schools’ workforce, which includes 85 per cent female teachers in primary schools and 62 per cent in secondary?”
A study has shown that women who started university in September outnumbered men in 112 out of 180 subjects.
Women are particularly storming ahead in their numbers in biology, nursing, social work, linguistics and psychology.
Ms Curnock Cook has blamed the "deafening policy silence" from the Government for the increasing gap between boys and girls at A-level.
Teenage girls are now a third more likely to go to university
She said: “There is plenty of research about the differences in the male and female brain, hormones, maturity and behaviour, learning styles and preferences, and how these affect educational achievement.
“But although most schools will track the achievement of their boys and girls, there seems to be little focus on the gender gap in education policy.”
In an article written for a national newspaper, Ms Curnock Cook linked the lack of boys at universities directly to years of lower educational achievement.
She wrote: “Has the women's movement now become so normalised that we cannot conceive of needing to take positive action to secure equal education outcomes for boys?”
A study has recently revealed that 28.3 per cent of poor white boys achieved five GCSEs at grade A* to C, whereas 37.1 per cent of girls in the same category achieved the grades.
According to UCAS, teenage girls are now a third more likely to go to university.
The lack of boys at university has been linked to years of lower educational achievement
Chief executive of the Sutton Trust, Dr Lee Elliot Major, said: “The poor academic performance of disadvantaged boys, especially those from white working class backgrounds, is a tragic waste of talent with a significant economic cost.”
A Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) spokesperson said: “As a One Nation Government, We are committed to ensuring that everyone with the potential has the opportunity to benefit from higher education, irrespective of their background or gender.
"This academic year we saw record numbers of students entering university, including from disadvantaged backgrounds. We are currently consulting on further measures to improve access to higher education, including from white working class boys.”