Global Math Gender Gap Widens Again: Girls Lose Ground in Latest International Study

The Scale of the Setback

Recent international data has delivered a sobering update on gender equity in mathematics: girls worldwide are falling further behind boys, reversing years of slow progress. The latest findings, drawn from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and published by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement in partnership with UNESCO, show that fourth-grade boys outperformed their female peers in the vast majority of participating countries in 2023. This marks a clear expansion of the gender gap that existed before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among eighth-graders, the disparity has grown even more starkly. The number of countries where boys score higher than girls has risen exponentially since 2019, erasing more than a decade of gains in math equity. Matthias Eck, a program specialist with UNESCO’s Section of Education for Inclusion and Gender Equality, noted that prior TIMSS data had indicated girls were gradually closing the gap with boys. “But in the latest data, we see that the gap is widening again between girls and boys, and that's at the detriment of girls, which is quite concerning,” he told EdSurge. This international trend mirrors patterns observed in the United States, where the Nation’s Report Card recorded similar declines for girls last year.

From Progress to Reversal

Pandemic Disruptions a Likely Factor

The TIMSS study is the first major international assessment to measure student performance after the onset of the pandemic. The analysis reveals that in fourth grade, 85 percent of top-performing countries’ results leaned heavily toward boys. For eighth grade, slightly over half of the participating countries and territories showed an advanced math achievement gap favoring boys, while none showed an advantage for girls in either grade. Eck argues that the data points to a correlation between longer school closures and higher rates of learning loss in math, though with variation across regions.

“One of the hypotheses is really that those disruptions during the pandemic may have exacerbated existing disparities and have reduced learning opportunities for girls, and potentially those that were at risk of low achievement have been more affected,” Eck explained. “The fact that girls were out of school and were not in the learning environment, it could have impacted their confidence, but that's just the hypothesis.” Researchers remain cautious, but the pattern is clear: the pandemic likely deepened inequalities in math education.

Underperformance on the Rise

Fourth-Grade Struggles

The numbers also contain alarming signals beyond the top performers. The share of countries with a gender gap among fourth-grade students failing to reach basic math proficiency is on the rise, and in most such countries, a higher proportion of girls are struggling. This suggests that the problem is not limited to advanced achievement but extends to foundational skills.

Eighth-Grade Trends

Among eighth-graders, the overall gender gap in underperformance is actually shrinking, but this masks a worrying spike: the proportion of countries and territories where girls have a higher failure rate has jumped sharply. This paradoxical trend indicates that while some regions are making progress at the lower end, others are seeing a dramatic reversal, with more girls falling into the lowest proficiency category.

Calls for Continued Monitoring

The report’s authors urge careful monitoring of these developments. Eck emphasized that the data should be used to inform targeted interventions, especially for girls who were already at risk before the pandemic. The findings serve as a reminder that even as some educational gaps narrow, others can widen unexpectedly. Future TIMSS cycles will be crucial to determine whether this is a temporary post-pandemic setback or a longer-term trend.

As policymakers and educators digest these results, the message is clear: achieving gender equity in mathematics requires sustained attention and tailored support – especially for the girls who are being left behind.