Why girls continue to outpace boys in SSC results

Differences in school attendance, child labour, stipend incentives and study routines are widening the performance gap between male and female students in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations, according to educationists, teachers and candidates.

Girls once again outperformed boys in this year’s SSC exams, extending their lead in pass rates since 2017 and GPA-5 tallies since 2018.

This year, 66.68 percent of female candidates passed, compared with 57.86 percent of boys -- a gap of 8.82 percentage points. Also, 63,896 girls secured GPA-5, 11,116 more than boys.

The Daily Star spoke to students, teachers and educationists to understand the gap. Their accounts and recent data point to boys’ greater exposure to child labour and lower school participation in some regions, as well as the role of stipend incentives, study habits and social expectations.

Prof Mohammad Ali Zinnah of the Institute of Education and Research (IER) at Dhaka University pointed to economic pressure on boys from disadvantaged families.

“Boys from disadvantaged families frequently have to help support their households, often at the cost of their studies,” he said.

The BBS-Unicef Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2025 found that 10.9 percent of boys aged 5-17 were engaged in child labour, compared with 7.5 percent of girls.

The gap in school participation was particularly wide in Rangpur. While the division’s overall child labour rate was 11.8 percent, 46.5 percent of boys of lower-secondary-school age attended lower secondary or higher, compared with 67.6 percent of girls.

A similar gap was seen in this year’s SSC results. Under Dinajpur Board, 53.33 percent of boys passed, against 63.01 percent of girls.

Rajshahi had the country’s highest overall child labour rate, at 12.4 percent. Lower-secondary attendance there stood at 53 percent among boys and 68.3 percent among girls.

Under the Rajshahi Board, 57.33 percent of boys passed this year, compared with 70.73 percent of girls -- a gap of 13.40 percentage points.

However, girls from disadvantaged families also have to take part in domestic or outside work to support their families.

Saira Hossain, associate professor at IER, said performance-linked stipends could encourage girls to attend school regularly and maintain their results.

Bangladesh’s Female Secondary School Stipend Programme, expanded nationwide in 1994, required beneficiaries to attend at least 75 percent of school days, obtain at least 45 percent marks in school examinations and remain unmarried.

The system has since been harmonised. The current Harmonised Stipend Programme covers eligible boys and girls in Classes VI-XII from low-income families.

Teachers interviewed by The Daily Star said girls tended to be more regular and consistent in their studies.

Md Sohel, a teacher at Patuakhali Collectorate School and College, said girls were more regular and attentive.

Masudur Rahman, an ICT lecturer at Pallabi Government College, said, “Girls tend to study over the long term and go through their books more thoroughly.”

Meanwhile, relying too much on coaching centres also affected the performance of some students.

Maisha Fahmida Sara, a 2026 SSC examinee from Rajuk Uttara Model College, ranked among the top 10 in Class IX but slipped beyond 20th in Class X while spending her day between school and coaching centres.

“I became tired and could not study properly at home,” she said.

Sara later cut down on coaching, relied more on self-study and online classes, took model tests and studied three to four focused hours a day. She eventually secured GPA-5.

“Honestly, you do not need to study for seven or eight hours to do well. Three to four hours of focused study is enough,” she said.

Two boys who failed this year cited different problems.

An Uttara Public College student who failed four subjects said being placed in science against his wishes made his studies more difficult.

“I never wanted to take science, but I was put into the group,” he said.

A student of Western Laboratory School and College said spending too much time with friends and on his phone affected his studies.

“I did not listen to my parents properly and was not serious about studying,” he said.

The experiences of the students reflect a wider pattern behind the gender gap in SSC results, where access to education, regular attendance, family responsibilities and study practices continue to shape academic outcomes. Educationists said addressing these differences would require ensuring that both boys and girls receive the support needed to stay engaged with their studies.