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New figures on school leavers' highlight a massive gender gap in New Zealand schools, according to UnitedFuture education spokesperson Judy Turner. "The gender gap has become enormous - about three times the size of the gender pay gap that receives so much attention," says Mrs Turner. "We have set up our education system to focus on ensuring the achievement of girls while ignoring boys as they got left behind. Now that boys are far behind, nothing is being done to address this. "The attainment gap has actually widened. A whopping 36 percent more girls than boys achieving level 3 NCEA or higher last year, compared with 32 percent in 2006. "The Secondary Principals Association said that NCEA level 2 now represents the minimum standard for leaving school. Today's figures show that boys are 30 percent more likely to leave school... [read full story]