In Cambodia, the reversal of the gender gap in high school academic achievement became evident since 2014, subsequent to the implementation of significant reforms in the high school leaving examination system. This phenomenon, though remained largely unnoticed by the public and policymakers until recently. While there are studies on gender equality of learning in Cambodia, none have specifically focused on the reversal of the gender gap or delved into factors beyond the mere correlation between gender and academic performance. Leveraging survey data and administrative standardized test scores from 23 schools, this study employs multivariate regression analyses, quantile regressions, and Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition to estimate gender gaps in academic achievement and identify factors contributing to the learning gap. Our findings indicate a consistent academic advantage for female students, particularly evident at the lower tail of the achievement distribution in reading and mathematics, learning disparities attributed to individual and household characteristics. Overall, the study unveils critical new insights into the gender reversal trends in Cambodia, underscoring the urgency of targeted interventions to address the underlying factors contributing to this new phenomenon.

Authors:
Phal Chea, Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI), Cambodia
Seyhakunthy Hun, Nagoya University, Japan
Najung Kim, Korea University, South Korea

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Chea Phal is currently the Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Educational Research and Innovation, Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI).

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