No. 40 (2022) , Artículos
No. 40 (2022) | Artículos | Published 2022-12-13

Gender Gap in Mathematics in Standardized Tests: the Case of Colombia

https://doi.org/10.19052/eq.vol1.iss40.4
Daniel Botero Guzmán
Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga
Alejandra Marín Díaz
Universidad de Chile

Abstract

This article aims to measure the gender gap in mathematics based on standardized tests in Colombia, which are presented at the end of high school and higher education. Data from the Instituto Colombiano para la Evaluación de la Educación (ICFES) corresponding to the results of the Saber 11 and Saber Pro tests are used. Based on a fixed effects model, it was found that higher education contributes significantly to the reduction of the gap in math and that this reduction is greater among students who chose careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) than those students who did not (not STEM). These results can serve as input for decision making on educational policy, and even on labor policy.
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Keywords

gap
education
math
gender