New research finds a “catastrophe in education for males” as government school boys fall behind in higher education and skilled jobs

Australian boys are far less likely to go to university than girls – particularly those who attend government schools, where just one in four gain a degree – and are being left behind in the race for highly skilled jobs.

A 10-year longitudinal study has uncovered yawning gaps in educational advancement between males and females that have been described as a “catastrophe in terms of education for males”.

Abigail Barfield, who went to an independent school, is now studying neurobiology at ANU. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

In NSW, 58 per cent of girls who go to an independent school graduate from university, followed by 54 per cent of girls from Catholic schools and 48 per cent of boys from independent schools.

In contrast, only 27 per cent of boys from government schools graduated from