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This Q&A delves into the underlying factors behind boys' reading gaps, drawing on insights from the recent , which outlines effective strategies and programmes for literacy. We also explore successful initiatives that are helping to tackle these challenges, ensuring boys receive the targeted support they need.

Boys face notable challenges in education globally. While girls often struggle more than boys to access education in the first place, boys are at higher risk of dropping out, repeating grades, and failing to acquire essential skills. This leads to significant consequences, both for their future opportunities and for society.

UNESCO’s The price of inaction report highlights that by 2030, the annual cost of boys leaving school early and not learning is expected to reach trillions of dollars globally. 

Addressing these issues requires targeted strategies that focus on boys' needs. This includes creating supportive learning environments, challenging harmful gender norms, and offering academic support to ensure boys stay in school and succeed.

Boys generally perform worse than girls in reading. Data from the 2021 PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) shows that, on average, boys have lower reading skills compared to girls by the end of primary school. This gap has persisted for over 20 years, with girls outperforming boys in 51 of the 57 participating education systems, with an average difference of 19 points. 

Boys also tend to report less enjoyment of reading and less confidence in their reading abilities. While 46% of girls say they like reading very much, only 37% of boys do. This contributes to the gender gap in reading achievement. 

The recent  by IEA and UNESCO showcases several programmes that aim to tackle the challenges boys face with reading by boosting boys’ motivation and engagement. For instance, Australia’s Boys, Blokes, Books & Bytes project involves male role models to encourage boys to read, as many boys lack male reading mentors at home and in school.

In England, the Premier League Reading Stars programme uses football stars to inspire boys and girls who are interested in football to engage in reading. 

In Germany, the Lesestart (Start to Read) programme distributes books to families with young children through local libraries and pediatricians. This early intervention helps develop reading habits from a young age, ensuring children are exposed to books in a supportive environment.

Beyond these specific initiatives, broader recommendations emphasize the need for comprehensive support in early childhood education and pre-service and in-service teacher training to raise educators’ awareness of boys' specific challenges. Encouraging parental involvement and providing access to male reading role models can also help break down harmful gender norms around reading among boys.

UNESCO is leading a research project funded by the Global Partnership for Education Knowledge and Innovation Exchange entitled "Lifting barriers: Educated boys for gender equality." This initiative, done in collaboration with Equimundo and the University of East Anglia, tackles the issue of boys’ disengagement from education, which is becoming a serious challenge for many countries. UNESCO is piloting a school-level intervention in Malawi to address harmful and restrictive masculine gender norms which negatively affect boys’ motivation and school attendance. Teaching and learning materials in Cambodia, Lesotho and Malawi are also being reviewed.

UNESCO’s work is informed by the research undertaken to publish the report , which highlights how boys are increasingly at risk of dropping out and underperforming in school, and the Price of inaction report, which reveals the enormous economic costs of not addressing this issue. 

These initiatives and insights are helping to build more inclusive education systems that support boys while contributing to the wider goal of gender equality in and through education.