Introduction
A recent international report paints a concerning picture of gender equity in mathematics education. According to data from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), released in partnership with UNESCO, the long-closing gap between girls and boys in math achievement has reversed—and the setbacks are significant. The findings, which measure fourth- and eighth-grade performance across dozens of nations, show that girls are falling further behind their male peers, undoing more than a decade of gradual progress.
Key Findings: A Global Shift
The 2023 TIMSS results reveal that in the vast majority of countries, fourth-grade boys now outperform girls in math. Among top-performing students, 85 percent of nations show a skew toward boys. For eighth-graders, the rate of boys scoring higher than girls has increased exponentially since the last assessment in 2019. Notably, no country or territory reports a gender gap favoring girls at either grade level for advanced achievement. Matthias Eck, a program specialist with UNESCO’s Section of Education for Inclusion and Gender Equality and a co-author of the report, notes that previous trends had shown girls catching up. “But in the latest data, we see the gap widening again—and that’s at the detriment of girls,” he explains. “It’s quite concerning.”
The Pandemic’s Role in Widening Disparities
The data, the first TIMSS results collected after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, suggests a strong correlation between prolonged school closures and increased learning loss—especially for girls. Eck hypothesizes that disruptions during the pandemic may have exacerbated existing disparities. “Girls were out of school and missing learning environments, which could have impacted their confidence and reduced opportunities,” he says. While the study does not prove causation, the pattern is stark: countries with longer closures saw wider achievement gaps. Additionally, the share of regions where a higher proportion of girls fail to reach basic math proficiency is rising. For fourth-graders, most of these underperforming cohorts are disproportionately female. For eighth-graders, the overall gender gap in underperformance is shrinking, but the number of countries where girls have a higher failure rate has spiked.
Parallel Trends in the United States
The international trend mirrors findings from the Nation’s Report Card in the United States, released last year. U.S. analysts observed similar declines in math equity between genders, aligning with the global TIMSS data. This suggests that the pandemic’s impact on girls’ math achievement is not isolated to a few countries but is a widespread phenomenon requiring urgent attention.
Implications for Educators and Policy Makers
The report underscores the need for targeted interventions to support girls in mathematics, especially in the wake of pandemic-related disruptions. Key areas for action include:
- Restoring confidence: Schools should create supportive environments that rebuild girls’ self-efficacy in math through mentorship and positive role models.
- Addressing learning loss: Accelerated programs and catch-up curricula can help close the gaps that widened during school closures.
- Monitoring equity: Continuous data collection, as provided by TIMSS, is essential to track progress and identify at-risk groups early.
As Eck emphasizes, “We need to ensure that girls have equal opportunities to succeed in math, not just because it’s fair but because it impacts their future career paths and economic independence.”
Conclusion
The TIMSS data serves as a wake-up call. After years of narrowing the gender gap in math, the gains are slipping—and the pandemic appears to be a significant accelerant. Without deliberate efforts to counteract these trends, the disparities could become entrenched. The next round of TIMSS results, expected in 2027, will be a critical measure of whether nations have taken this challenge seriously.