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The dislike of reading in men is laid down from childhood
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
The dislike of reading in men is ingrained in childhood. Most boys do not like to read at school because they lack male attention. The UK government believes that the lack of male teachers has a negative impact on the development of boys' psyches. Gavin Barwell, the Parliamentary Chairman for Education, said that the lack of male teachers in primary education leads to the formation of an anti-father culture.
He added that boys were four years behind girls in their development. He believed that introducing certain types of literature into the curriculum, namely novels by Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl and JRR Tolkien, would help improve the situation. Gavin argued that boys’ inability to read well could affect their learning in other subjects. According to official figures, less than 59% of teenage boys at the age of 16 achieved a good grade in their English-language GCSEs, compared with 72.5% of girls.
In addition, representatives of national education believe that it would be a good idea to introduce gender literature into primary education. From early childhood, the idea that reading is not a man's business is instilled in boys. Few fathers read to their children at night. It is possible that in the future, the government of England (and perhaps of a number of other European countries) will begin a fight against the female workforce. Jonathan Douglas, director of the National Literacy Trust, also expressed his concern about the gap in the development of boys and girls.
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