Boys accounted for just 4 in 10 A-level entries in Northern Ireland this summer, the lowest of any UK region.
Figures published by the Joint Council for Qualifications show 13,616 entries from male candidates in Northern Ireland, against 20,208 from females.
That works out at 148 A-level entries from girls for every 100 from boys. In England the figure is 115, and in Wales 133.
The north also recorded the sharpest fall of the three participating UK areas.
Boys’ share of entries dropped a full percentage point to 40.3 percent, from 41.3 percent last year. Wales saw a fall of a tenth of a point, while England’s share rose slightly to 46.4 percent.
There are signs the trend will continue. AS-level entries from boys in Northern Ireland fell in absolute terms this year, from 17,962 to 17,777, while entries from girls rose.
Those boys who did sit A-levels performed well.
Male candidates marginally outscored females at the very top this year, with 9.8 percent achieving an A* against 8.1 percent, and 30.9 percent achieving A or above against 30.5 percent.
However, girls remained ahead at every grade from B downwards, with 88 percent achieving A* to C compared with 85.3 percent of boys.
Overall, A-level entries in Northern Ireland rose 4.3 percent to 33,824.
Susan Morgan, principal investigator on Ulster University’s Taking Boys Seriously research, said the pattern could not be reduced to boys lacking ability or effort.
“Ulster University’s Taking Boys Seriously research suggests that boys’ experiences are shaped by a combination of poverty and social disadvantage, masculinity and varied approaches to education,” she said.
“These factors are like ‘bricks in a backpack’: they can accumulate, creating what we describe as ‘compounded educational disadvantage’.
“Boys are navigating powerful expectations about masculinity — for example to be strong, independent, confident and in control, even when experiencing anxiety, uncertainty or fear of failure. For some, asking for help or admitting they are struggling can feel like a sign of weakness.
“Our bottom line is simple: there is nothing inherently wrong with boys. It is the conditions that prevent some boys from thriving that we need to address.”
A Department of Education spokesperson said: “The figures quoted are for A-level entries only and do not include entries for other level 3 qualifications such as BTECs. Boys make up a larger proportion of entries for these other level 3 qualifications.”