GIRLS are better than boys in reading, but they also can keep up with boys in mathematics when the genders are on a more equal footing in their native countries, according to research published in the Science journal.
The data came to light on closer examination by Luigi Guiso of European University Institute in Florence of data of a Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) study published in 2003.
At the time, the maths and reading skills of more than 276,000 boys and girls aged 15 from 40 countries were compared.
Guiso's research showed a relationship between the social position of women in a country and the math skills of girls in that country. The higher the position, the greater the girls' abilities in mathematics.
Photograph : Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
(Photographs are for representation purposes only)
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