In recent years, the differences in academic achievement between boys and girls in many Caribbean countries have been much debated. References have been made to the number of boys and girls who are awarded Common Entrance Examination (CEE) places for entry to secondary schools, the proportion of boys as compared to girls who obtain level 1 or 2 in the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) examination, and the number of men and women enrolled at the University of the West Indies and other tertiary-level institutions. For several years, girls' academic achievement has surpassed that of boys in nearly every subject and curricular area. In addition, more girls than boys are deciding to continue on to tertiary education. Against this background, the Ministry of Education and Culture (MOEC) in Jamaica commissioned a study of gender differences in academic achievement and participation to determine why boys were achieving less than girls and to discover what part, if any, the school played in this disparity. The research was thus designed to emphasize school-related factors, although it was recognized that socialization within the home and community might contribute a great deal to students' desire or disposition to participate in education and to their motivation to achieve.