Girls’ performance in mathematics now equal to boys: UNESCO report
In mathematics, the gender gap favouring boys in early grades gradually disappears, according to a new publication by UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring Report. The report calls for us to think harder about gender inequality and the barriers that still hold girls back from realising their potential.
Deepening the debate on those still left behind, an annual UNESCO gender report, analysed data from 120 countries in primary and secondary education to offer a global picture. The findings show that in the early years, boys perform better than girls in mathematics but, this gender gap disappears later.
This research confirms that the gender gap in learning has closed even in the poorest countries. And in some countries, the gap is now reversed. For example, by grade 8, the gap is in favour of girls in mathematics by 7 percentage points in Malaysia, by 3 points in Cambodia, by 1.7 points in Congo and by 1.4 points in the Philippines.
Southern Africa’s small businesses lead next phase of African growth
Standard Bank’s newly minted Business & Commercial Clients (BCC) division is dedicated to leveraging the power of small, medium and large enterprises to expand inclusive domestic business growth across Africa.
Gaborone-based BCC Southern Africa Head, Leina Gabaraane believes Africa is entering an exciting expansion phase, characterised by rapid private business formation and growth.
As such, Standard Bank’s BCC division is deliberately focused on partnering with businesses to build a capability ecosystem that will support small traders, agribusinesses and entrepreneurs to grow.
Africa’s existing large cross-border businesses, established corporates and global multinationals operating across the region, are already well catered for by the continents’ domestic and global banking community.
