GENDER DISTRIBUTION IN THE VARIOUS STREAMS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Dr Kanwaljit Soin asked the Minister for Education (a) why there are substantially more female students than male students in the Arts and Commerce streams in secondary schools; and (b) whether this indicates that more Science classes have to be made available in the girls' schools?

Mr Lee Yock Suan: (a) Students at the upper secondary level are required to study 5 core subjects comprising English Language, Mother Tongue, Elementary Mathematics, a Humanities subject and a Science subject. In addition, they may, according to their ability and inclination, offer at the GCE `O' level examinations, 1 to 4 elective subjects taken from among the Arts, Commerce, Science and Technical groups of subjects.

Among the students taking the 1993 `O' level examination, girls comprise 50% of the candidature in the Science stream, 61% in the Arts stream, 63% in the Commerce stream and 20% in the Technical stream. There are as many girls as boys in the Science stream. There are more girls in the Arts and Commerce streams and fewer of them in the Technical stream. The situation reflects the different choices made by boys and girls. However, the percentage of girls to the Technical stream has risen from 11% in 1990 to 20% in 1993 and may increase further as more girls take up Technical Studies at the lower secondary level.

(b) There are enough classes in the 16 girls' schools to cater to students with an aptitude for Science. This year, 68% of the 116 `O' level classes in these schools are Science classes.