Are gender quotas in schools sabotaging success for girls? Bulgaria’s controversial policy puts boys ahead
SCREENSHOT recently took a deep dive into the impact of gender quotas and biases in educational institutions. Our investigation uncovered a thought-provoking issue in Bulgaria, where gender quotas have been implemented in high schools. This raises a critical question: Are these policies genuinely promoting equality, or are they unintentionally putting female students at a disadvantage?
The unintended consequences for female students
Bulgaria’s education system has been shaped by gender quotas since the 1960s, aiming for a 50/50 gender balance in classrooms. These quotas were initially created to encourage girls to enter traditionally male-dominated fields, such as science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM). However, our findings suggest that these policies might be doing more harm than good, especially for female students during the high school admissions process.
Despite their original intent, these quotas can sometimes force admissions officers to favour boys—even if they have lower academic scores—to meet the desired gender balance. This has led to situations where girls, who make up 56 per cent of the student population, struggle to get into their preferred schools.
A system disadvantaging high-performing girls
Our research reveals that these quotas are making it increasingly difficult for some girls to secure spots in top high schools. The competition has intensified as more girls than boys are vying for these positions. While the quotas aim to balance gender representation, in practice, they can result in boys with lower grades being admitted over girls with higher scores.
The issue is particularly evident in high schools that focus on fields like languages and literature—areas where female students have traditionally been dominant. Here, academically strong girls may find themselves at a disadvantage simply because the quota favours boys, regardless of their performance.
Are gender quotas in schools still necessary?
On the flip side, some argue that these gender quotas are essential for ensuring boys aren’t entirely excluded from certain classes or schools. As more girls outperform boys academically, quotas might still play a crucial role in maintaining a balanced representation, even if the educational dynamics have shifted since these policies were first implemented.
What are the broader societal impacts of gender quotas?
The implications of gender quotas extend beyond the school system and into the workforce. Female-dominated sectors like teaching, healthcare, and sales typically offer lower salaries compared to male-dominated fields like engineering and IT.
SCREENSHOT sat down with Yoana Pavlova, professor of sociology at the Sofia Technical University in Bulgaria, and she explained: “It can be incredibly challenging for girls to gain entry into these schools, where top scores can reach up to 500. In contrast, the admission requirements for more technical fields are significantly lower for female students.”
Interestingly, Bulgaria stands out when it comes to gender representation in the IT sector. In 2022, nearly 29 per cent of IT positions were held by women—the highest male-to-female ratio in Europe. Whether this achievement is directly tied to gender quotas in education is unclear, but it represents a positive step towards gender balance.
Despite advances in education and some industries, women make up only 27 per cent of Bulgarian parliamentarians. This gap, along with the country’s gender pay gap, which has widened in Bulgaria in recent years, suggests that while quotas can help with educational access, they may not be enough to address broader societal inequities.
