Digital Skills Gap Widens in French High Schools, Especially Among Boys
On Wednesday, April 22, 2025, the Observatoire Pix des compétences numériques released a novel national study revealing growing disparities in digital skills among French students, with the gap becoming more pronounced in high school and particularly favoring boys.
The findings, based on an analysis of over 1.4 million Pix certifications taken by 3rd and final-year high school students in 2025, show that while digital skill differences are relatively small in middle school (3e), they significantly increase during high school years.
The study highlights that boys are increasingly outperforming girls in key digital competencies, contributing to a widening gender divide in digital readiness for higher education and the workforce.
These results underscore ongoing concerns about equitable access to digital literacy education and the require for targeted interventions to address emerging disparities before they impact long-term academic and professional opportunities.
The Observatoire Pix, a public initiative dedicated to evaluating and improving digital skills across France, emphasized that the data will inform future strategies to promote inclusive digital education and reduce inequalities linked to socioeconomic status, geography, and gender.
As part of its outreach, the organization hosted a live webinar on the same day as the study’s release to present the findings, discuss observed skill gaps, and explore key digital competencies essential for academic progression and professional integration.
The Observatoire Pix continues to support millions of users through its online platform, which offers assessments, training modules, and certification in digital literacy, aiming to strengthen employability, business competitiveness, and citizen autonomy in an increasingly digital society.