Exploring Gender Gaps in Mathematics Achievement: The Case of Single-Sex Education in Saudi Arabia

Results from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2019 indicate large international differences in gender gaps in mathematics achievement. Interestingly, countries with a high proportion of single-sex schools show unexpectedly large mean advantages for girls. One reason that could explain why girls and boys score unequally in these countries could be that they are exposed to different learning conditions. Saudi Arabia particularly stands out in this regard as it has consistently exhibited extreme gender gaps in mathematics achievement in favour of girls. It is also the country that has implemented 100% gender segregation in its education system, such that all girls and boys in the country go to separate single-sex schools at primary and secondary school level. By considering the case of Saudi Arabia, this study has sought to examine whether variations in school climate dimensions between girls’ and boys’ schools may help us understand why large unexpected girls’ advantages in mathematics achievement exist. In school-level and two-level regression models using TIMSS 2019 data from fourth and eighth grade, this study indeed found some evidence of school climate differences between girls’ and boys’ schools at primary and secondary school level in Saudi Arabia. However, research results were not found to be robust across grades and after including control variables, especially in the models where all school climate dimensions were simultaneously included. The present study is the first attempt in understanding some of the endogenous forces operating at the school level that can explain variation in student achievement outcomes in single-sex education systems like those implemented in Saudi Arabia. The study limitations, implications and areas of future research are discussed