Andy Burnham has entered Downing Street with a commitment to create ‘parity of esteem’ between academic and technical education. Admittedly this has been the goal of many politicians over the years. But I know from his work in Greater Manchester that he is determined that all young people have a line of sight to a fulfilling career and that means creating opportunities and pathways for every young person. When I spoke to young people across the country, as part of the report I co-authored: Inside the Mind of a Young NEET, I heard too many stories of a horrible school experience. Young people told me that college was the first time in many cases that they had been treated like an adult and found a sense of purpose. Too many young men struggle with school or feel trapped in an educational environment that they say is too regimented and fixated with exams at all costs. The numbers do not lie. Boys remain behind girls at every stage of the education system. When they enter the school gates for the first time, only 60 per cent of them will be school ready compared to 75 per cent of girls. By age 11, 66 per cent of girls met the expected standard compared to 59 per cent of boys. At the end of key stage 4, 44 per cent of boys (47 per cent girls) in England are achieving grades 5 or above in English and maths, while 68 per cent of GCSEs (2024-25) taken by boys achieved a grade 4 and above compared with 73 per cent girls. Two years later boys take fewer A Levels. In FE there is also a big gap, with 58 per cent of T Levels (2024-25) taken by 18-year-old men receiving a merit pass or above compared with 75 per cent of women who achieved those grades. This data can no longer be ignored. That is why I have agreed to chair the Boys’ Education Commission, hosted by the Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys (CPRMB). The commission will examine how we bring up boys to flourish: how we show them that they are valued, how we give them a rich and varied education, how we ensure they have role models to look up to and how we prepare them to take their place as valued and successful members of society. We will look at ‘education’ in its widest sense. Not just narrow exam success, though that matters, but how boys grow up with the confidence and tools to flourish. That is why this week we have put out a call for evidence. We want to hear from you whether you are a college CEO, a member of frontline teaching staff, a student, a parent, an apprentice, or a governor. What change do you want to see to ensure that boys thrive as well as girls? What needs to be kept and nurtured and what changed or even discarded? This cannot just be about more money, although that is important. It has to be about a fundamental vision for an education sector that can truly deliver the skilled workforce the country needs. The survey that is at the heart of the Commission’s call for evidence can be accessed through this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/68BZT7R or email your views to boysedcomm@menandboys.org.uk Please share the survey with any colleagues who may also have important insights. The closing date for survey responses is Monday 21st September 2026. As well as this call for evidence, we will be conducting visits, convening a youth panel, showcasing conversations with a range of people, and asking the wider community for their views. If you want to be involved or host a visit, we would be delighted to hear from you. So please get involved. The issue of Boys’ Education is too urgent to ignore. And this time we want to get it right.