Researchers have found that British Muslim women are outpacing Muslim men in achieving college degrees. 25% of British-Muslim women aged 21-24 now hold degrees compared with 22% of British-Muslim men of the same age reports Dr Nabil Khattab of the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies in Qatar. And not just that, but average school scores for girls ages 11 through 14 are reported to be higher.
“Muslim girls seem to be outperforming Muslim boys, especially in relation to their school performance,” says Dr. Khattab. “This is very interesting, given what we know about the gender gap among Muslims, not only in education but also in the labor market. While older men are more likely to be degree-holders than their female counterparts, younger women are more likely to have degrees.”
Dr. Khattab says that the trend for girls to outperform boys has been a factor for non-Muslim students as well. “On the other hand, it is very new among Muslims,” he said. “Nevertheless, that it has happened at all is remarkable when one considers that in 1990 and 1991 Pakistani and Bangladeshi men admitted to higher education outnumbered their female peers by more than two to one and more than three to one respectively.”
