Albania, with a high percentage of girls who excel in mathematics

2026-06-14 07:31:00, Aktualitet CNA

The 2022 Global PISA test showed a sharp decline in the knowledge of 15-year-old Albanian students, but a detailed analysis by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) shows that Albania has a high percentage of talented girls in mathematics in the country, compared to developing and developed countries in Europe.

The data is highlighted in the latest economic outlook report of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Data shows that in Albania, girls make up about 40% of the group classified in the top 2% of excellent students in mathematics, a figure higher than the average for G7 countries.

The study shows that girls are generally gaining more ground in mathematics and Albania is ranked in a group of countries where the representation of girls in the top 2% of students in mathematics is relatively high.

But Malaysia or Mongolia, Bosnia, Russia, girls have higher percentages among math talents in their countries.

In post-communist countries like Albania, this gap is about half of that observed in other economies, which indicates the stronger tradition of women's inclusion in education and technical fields.

The study's experts assessed that the legacy of post-communist countries, where women's participation in the labor market and in STEM fields has been historically higher, is positively influencing the narrowing of the gender talent gap. This creates significant potential for competitive advantage in the modern economy, if these trends are supported by sustainable educational and social policies.

On a global scale, the gender gap in mathematics, especially in advanced economies, widens greatly at excellence, where the difference does not triple compared to developing countries like Albania.

Preparing girls in mathematics can serve as a tool for attracting foreign investment in high-value sectors.

This high level of girls at the highest academic levels is an extraordinary and untapped resource in the digital age.

In a market where global demand for analytical, programming, and engineering skills is growing rapidly, human capital well-trained in mathematics is a potential that must be exploited. /Monitor

Albania, with a high percentage of girls who excel in mathematics