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FEARS are growing of a generation of young men lost to education after data yesterday showed boys are increasingly turning their backs on the schools system.

While girls remain more likely to continue in full-time education after the age of 16, a report from Careers Wales found that boys are increasingly likely to leave the system altogether.

And though the majority of young people continue with their education once they reach the legal age at which they can leave school, a study found that there has been a slight fall in the percentage of young people expected to go from year 13 into higher education.

The survey showed that, as in previous years, a larger proportion of girls than boys chose to continue in full-time education. The difference is most marked in year 11, with over 6% more girls than boys.

Over the last five years, a slight rise has been recorded every year in the percentage of girls and boys choosing this route in year 11 and 12. Year 13 figures have been slightly more erratic, according to Careers Wales, but there has been a definite increase in the last three years.

There also continues to be a higher percentage of boys than girls in the not in education, employment or training (NEET) category in years 11, 12 and 13. The difference is most marked in year 13 with more than 2% more boys in this category. Those in part-time education – 16 hours or less per week – were previously included in the NEET category, but this year are recorded separately.

It also showed that the percentage of boys entering the labour market, either work-based training or employment, continues to be higher than the number of girls across the three cohorts.

Welsh education expert Professor David Reynolds said it was a surprise to see the slight dip in higher education applicants, although that figure has “gone through the roof” this year, with record numbers of teenagers wanting to go to university in 2010.

On the differences between the sexes, Prof Reynolds of Plymouth University said: “The gender gap is a worldwide phenomenon, not just a UK or Welsh one.”

He said that the poorer performance of boys at school, resulting in many leaving the education system sooner than their female counterparts, is the culmination of girls being given a fairer chance to succeed.

“Boys have suffered as girls have done well,” said Prof Reynolds. “Girls have come through strongly and boys have found it increasingly difficult to compete.

“There are probably other issues at work as well – the growth of an anti-schools sub-culture is something that seems to have hap- pened, particularly among boys exposed to the labour market.”

There is also a problem for boys in the way pupils are assessed now, with continuous assessment suiting girls’ organisational skills and males traditionally doing better in final exams, he says.

However, he stressed that the positives of mixed-sex classrooms outweigh the negatives. Instead of splitting the sexes, Prof Reynolds said schools can take a more targeted approach to the way they teach boys and girls in order to keep male classroom members engaged in education.

“Policies at whole-school level which ensure boys get organised,” he said. “Some schools have even handed out Filofaxes for them to become better organised.”

A Welsh Assembly Government spokeswoman said: “We are actively encouraging boys to stay on in education in Wales. Our 14-19 Learning Pathways policy focuses on the needs of the learner by offering a wide range of courses, including vocational provision, to allow young people to achieve their full potential.

“The learner support provided by the Learning Coach function will also help young people to overcome any barriers to their learning and will help keep them engaged in education.

“We recognise there are sometime financial barriers when young people are deciding whether to stay on in education. Education Maintenance Allowances are a financial and educational incentive to young people from low-income households to encourage them to remain in, or return to, education.

“Research conducted in England indicates the EMA scheme is most effective and beneficial for young people from groups that are traditionally associated with lower levels of achievement, including male learners.”