Gender Disparity in Students’ Performance of Science and Mathematics: Evidence from Nationwide Study in Pakistan

Authors

  • Dr Sadia Bhutta Aga Khan University, Institute for Educational Development
  • Aisha Naz Ansari Aga Khan University, Institute for Educational Development
  • Sohail Ahmad Aga Khan University, Institute for Educational Development

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22555/joeed.v11i1.912

Keywords:

Gender disparity, Gender-based performance, Science and Mathematics achievement, Gender difference across school systems, Large-scale study

Abstract

Gender disparity in science and mathematics performance is under constant exploration. In a complex education system, like Pakistan, studying the difference in isolation may not generate holistic understanding. Therefore, this paper investigates changes in trends of gender differences within public and private schools. Data were gathered from nationwide representative students (n=15,391) of elementary grades using SATs/MATS. The results of independent t-test and two-way-ANOVA revealed that girls significantly outperformed boys in Science; girls came at par in Mathematics. Gender and school system demonstrated significant interaction effect only in mathematics unveiling that girls can perform better/equal to boys in same school system.

Author Biographies

  • Dr Sadia Bhutta, Aga Khan University, Institute for Educational Development

    Sadia Muzaffar Bhutta is working as Associate Professor at Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED), Pakistan. Her research interest includes Classroom practice, Learning outcomes, Teachers’ professional development, Quantitative method. bhutta@aku.edu

  • Aisha Naz Ansari, Aga Khan University, Institute for Educational Development

    Aisha Naz Ansari is a research associate at Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED), Pakistan. Her area of research interest involves holistic development, public-private partnerships, educational technology, mixed-methods research, and systematic and scoping reviews in education. naz22@alumni.aku.edu

  • Sohail Ahmad, Aga Khan University, Institute for Educational Development

    Sohail Ahmad is doctoral candidate at Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED), Pakistan. His area of research interest involves quality assurance in higher education, pedagogical quality and students’ learning outcomes, large-scale assessment, and mixed-methods research. sohail.ahmad2@scholar.aku.edu ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7344-0566

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Published

2024-06-12

How to Cite

Bhutta, Sadia Muzaffar, Aisha Naz Ansari, and Sohail Ahmad, trans. 2024. “Gender Disparity in Students’ Performance of Science and Mathematics: Evidence from Nationwide Study in Pakistan”. Journal of Education and Educational Development 11 (1): 25-44. https://doi.org/10.22555/joeed.v11i1.912.

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