Aussie parents spending big bucks on their boys' education?

It may be surprising to some, but in the age of the Twenty First Century, there still exists differences in the way parents speak of their sons and daughters. This is especially the case when it comes to education. The reality is that Australian parents “are spending up big to send their boys to private schools. But not their daughters" (news.com.au, 2013). This fact calls for some examination. Is the culture of Australian schooling one which exudes a sense of gender inequality? Or are schools simply a reflection of the gender culture of the societies they belong to?

An academic who surveyed 1500 parents about their school choice noted differences in the levels of worry that parents faced in choosing schools for their sons and daughters. She noted that there was far more concern about discipline and mixing with the "wrong crowd” when it came to choosing schools for their sons. She also shed light on the possibility "that we still have a gender division of labour meaning that adult men are more likely to have to support a family and so need strong career prospects” (Magon, 2009). The contrary view is that of Rohan Brown from Trinity Grammar, who said “all parents are looking for the best education for their children” and feels that “the notion that boys are more important than girls is false and that families are genuinely looking for where they think their sons or daughters are going to thrive and blossom” (news.com.au). An important statistic to consider in all this is that there are an extra 10 percent more private school spots for girls than boys, which can contribute to the waiting list differences and the more eased approach some parents may have when choosing a school for daughters. So, it may not be ALL about gender inequality.

I believe both approaches to be true. I stand firm by the fact that most parents are indeed looking for or at least aiming to send their children to the best possible schools they have access to (well, I hope so). However, I also acknowledge the fact that more anxiety exists when choosing schools for boys, mostly due to the perception that boys are more likely to fall into “the wrong crowd” and neglect the academic side of schooling and education. This may to an extent just be a stereotype or a reflection of the fact that boys do indeed mature a little later than girls, however the fact remains that school choice is not only accounted for by things like socioeconomic status or denominational preference. Gender definitely plays a part, and to an extent, I believe that the fact that Australian schooling systems are more ‘girl-centered’ can account for this. Parents may perceive the top private boys schools as better arbiters of academic and schooling success for their boys as they are more male focused, hence the worry.

Angela Josette Magon’s journal article ‘Gender, the Brain and Education: Do Boys and Girls Learn Differently?’ brings forth a combination of scientific and social facts and discoveries regarding the way boys and girls learn. She makes clear that “recent discoveries of cerebral structural and functional differences between male and female brains indicate that boys and girls are wired differently for learning”. These differences have significant implications for schools and pedagogy. She acknowledges the challenge that educators, including herself, face when choosing instructional strategies and types of learning activities that will prove best suited to teach both boys and girls. “As brain studies demonstrating gender differences in learning activities are so recent, many of the teaching strategies that may shatter cultural gender differences have not been tested in the classroom” (Magon, 2009). I do personally believe that the reality is that gender focussed instruction can improve achievement. However, it can also play a role in altering the sense of gender division that still exists in twenty-first century society.


Gender plays a large role in all cultures and is an element of interest in countless cultural studies. Schools act as a place where these cultures are reproduced, however the classroom can also be a place where cultures are transformed. I believe that schools do have the ability to be more gender aware in regard to instructional strategies and that in achieving this; parents may be less prone to worry or pay more attention to the education of their boys than girls.

Parents more focused on boys education than girls. (2013). Retrieved on 26 October 2013http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/parents-more-focused-on-boys-education-than-girls-experts/story-fnet085v-1226682195444

Magon, A. J. (2009). Gender, the Brain and Education: Do Boys and Girls Learn Differently? (Doctoral dissertation, University of Victoria).