Study shows girls fare better than boys in school

MANILA, Philippines — Girls fared better and are more likely to be on track with their schooling than boys, according to a study on Filipino children ahead of International Day of the Girl Child on Oct. 11.

Phase III implementation of the Longitudinal Cohort Study on the Filipino Child was launched by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in partnership with the Australian government, United Nations Children’s Fund, National Economic and Development Authority and University of San Carlos-Office of Population Studies (USC-OPS).

The study has tracked the development of Filipino children over 15 years, following the same group of 5,000 children from age 10 in 2016 until the end of the Sustainable Development Goals in 2030.

The study is a timely reminder of the importance of investing in the health, education and well-being of adolescent girls, UNFPA country representative Dr. Leila Joudane said Tuesday.

“We are at that crucial point in time when the children covered by the study are going through the tumultuous and crucial period of adolescence, when they develop knowledge and skills, learn to manage emotions and relationships and acquire abilities that will be important for them as they become productive members of society,” Joudane said.

Meanwhile, Australian embassy Development Counsellor Thanh Le PSM emphasized the importance of greater dissemination of the study’s findings to help inform policymakers as they address the needs of Filipino children and girls.

During the launch, researchers from USC-OPS shared key findings from the study. They pointed out that girls fared better during the first six years of the study.

In terms of education, at age 16, girls are more likely to be on track with their schooling than boys (85 percent of girls vs. 75 percent of boys). This means more girls were in age-appropriate grades, were not delayed or repeated a school year.

During their earlier years, teenage boys are more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as smoking and drinking alcohol than teenage girls. At age 13 to 14, 7.7 percent of boys have tried smoking, compared to only 2.5 percent of girls. Similarly, 21.8 percent of boys have tried drinking alcohol,