Although the percentage of female students enrolling in OAC mathematics and science courses (that is, the percentage of total course enrolment which is female) has been inching upwards (see Figure 2), female participation rates (the percentage of total females enrolled in a school who are taking a particular course) actually declined between 1983 and 1988.

Figure 2

Trends in the Percentage of Female
Course Enrolment, Ontario, 1983 and 1988

PERCENTAGE

Ontario Ministry of Education Percentage of Course Enrollment

COURSE

As illustrated in Figure 3, this decline occurred in all courses surveyed with the exception of calculus (2). In other words, recent gains in the proportion of females enrolled in high school math and science courses result from a decrease in total male enrolments rather than an increase in female enrolment. The number of female math and science students is shrinking, but less rapidly than the number of male students.

Figure 3

Trends in Participation of Females
Ontario, 1983 and 1988

PERCENTAGE

Ontario Ministry of Education Percentage of Total Enrollment