Boys and girls were equally matched in the 2010 CSEC examinations as both achieved an average 74 per cent pass rate.
This goes against a trend of females outdoing their male counterparts as demonstrated in the Common Entrance Examinations results this year.
Sixty-six girls made the top 100 positions list for those exams this year compared to just forty-four males.
However despite the equal overall pass rate there were some notable differences in the CSEC results as the two sexes took the lead in different subject areas.
An analysis of the biggest differences in pass rates shows that boys outperformed girls in; biology 77.66 per cent to 65.09 per cent, physics 70.33 per cent to 58.46 per cent, and principles of accounts 72.79 per cent to 60.61 per cent.
Conversely, girls did better than boys in French 69.23 per cent to 38.71 per cent, human and social biology 78.13 per cent to 50 per cent and English B 89.04 per cent to 70.11per cent.
A look at the best performing areas according to pass rates for both sexes seemed to belie any seeming notion of male and female suited subjects.
“The subjects at which boys performed best are; food and nutrition 100 per cent; physical education 100 per cent; home management 100 per cent; and theatre arts 100 per cent” said Minister of Education Dr Jacqui Quinn-Leandro.
“Girls performed best at mechanical engineering technology with 100 per cent, building technology construction 100 per cent and they were on par with theatre arts 100 per cent” she added.
The Minister did point out though that the number of students taking those subjects was quite small.
Dr Quinn – Leandro, who is also minister of Gender Affairs, also noted the schools where boys and girls did best.
“The schools which had highest percentage of boys passing were: the Baptist Academy with 100 per cent, St Joseph’s Academy 94 per cent, Island Academy 88 per cent, Antigua Grammar School 83 per cent, Clare Hall Secondary 78 per cent and St Anthony’s Secondary 77 per cent.
“The schools with the highest number of girls passing all subjects was Baptist Academy 98% followed by Antigua Girls High 92 per cent and Christ the King also 92 per cent” she added.
Seven hundred and seventeen boys sat 3,489 CSEC exams this year compared to 1,403 girls who sat 5,775 exams.
