Every child deserves the opportunity to learn and thrive — yet today, 129 million boys are out of school globally. According to UNESCO’s Leave no child behind report, based on data from over 140 countries, boys are more likely to repeat grades and fall behind in reading, with some of the widest gender gaps found in countries like South Africa. In South Africa, data shows that boys perform lower than girls, and the share of boys not reaching minimum proficiency levels in reading is higher by around 10 percentage points. Added to this, grade repetition rates remain consistently higher for boys, a key predictor of early dropout. Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi is joined by Likho Bottoman, Director of Social Cohesion for the Department of Basic Education.