Canberra prides itself on being a progressive capital where fairness and inclusion are fundamental values. However, new evidence reveals a troubling blind spot in the territory's approach to gender equity, with boys and young men facing significant challenges in education and mental health.
The Silent Crisis in Boys' Education
Across ACT public schools, boys trail girls in writing by nearly 20 percentage points by Year 9. Recent NAPLAN data shows boys are twice as likely to fall into the lowest literacy bands, with this educational gap widening as students progress from primary to secondary school.
These statistics represent thousands of young Canberran males who are quietly disengaging from learning and opportunity. The ACT government's Literacy and Numeracy Expert Panel Final Report from April 2024 called for a culture of high expectations and evidence-informed consistency across public schools, but this system-wide shift must include an honest focus on boys' underachievement.
International evidence supports this urgent need. The UK's Closing the Gender Attainment Gap inquiry found that boys underperform girls at every age and stage of their education. However, some exemplar schools demonstrate that closing this gap is possible through high expectations, consistent discipline, and positive male role models.
The Human Cost of Educational Disconnection
The consequences of educational failure extend far beyond the classroom. Men account for 70 per cent of suicides in the ACT, mirroring national patterns where deaths of despair including suicide, overdose, and alcohol-related harm are overwhelmingly male.
The ACT Legislative Assembly's current inquiry into high male suicide rates represents an important step forward. However, as submissions and data indicate, prevention must begin much earlier than crisis points. Disengagement at school, lack of purpose, fatherlessness, and limited community belonging all contribute to the gradual erosion of male wellbeing.
Research indicates that the boy problem and the man problem are deeply interconnected. When boys fall behind in literacy, drop out of school, or lack father figures and mentors, the social and psychological effects can persist for decades. Educational failure often leads to employment insecurity, relationship breakdown, and eventually, mental health crises.
A Practical Blueprint for Change in Canberra
Several practical solutions could address these interlocking challenges within the ACT:
First, the Education Directorate should embed targeted literacy initiatives for boys within the implementation of the expert panel's recommendations. Evidence shows that explicit teaching, structured phonics, and small-group intervention work most effectively when delivered consistently and early.
Second, schools need significantly more male teachers and mentors. With fewer than 18 per cent of primary teachers being male, many boys complete their entire schooling without seeing men engaged in learning, care, or communication. Targeted recruitment and scholarship programs could help rebalance this ratio.
Third, wellbeing, resilience, and belonging must integrate into the curriculum through male-inclusive initiatives that address identity, purpose, and service. Collaboration with local sporting clubs, veterans' networks, and trades mentors could make this approach more meaningful and effective.
Finally, suicide prevention strategies must include gender-specific approaches. Current data shows up to 80 per cent of those reached by the National Suicide Prevention Strategy are female, despite 75 per cent of Australian suicide deaths being male. Canberra could lead the nation by ensuring men's voices, experiences, and coping styles inform every service design.
With 89 public schools, an engaged teaching workforce, and a community that values educational innovation, Canberra has both the expertise and scale to pilot meaningful change. The territory could become Australia's first jurisdiction to systematically address boys' needs within mainstream schooling as part of delivering genuine equity for all students.
