The bar charts compare the percentage of male and female students who achieved top grades in five subjects—Science, Arts, Mathematics, Languages, and Humanities—in 1960 and 2000.
Overall, significant shifts in academic performance can be observed over the four decades. Males initially excelled in Science and Mathematics, whereas females performed better in Arts and Languages. However, by 2000, Humanities had the highest proportion of top achievers for both genders.
In 1960, around 35% of males attained top grades in Science, but this figure declined dramatically to approximately 15% by 2000. A similar downward trend was observed in Mathematics, where the percentage fell from nearly 30% to just over 10%. Conversely, the proportion of high achievers in Humanities surged from about 20% to 45%, making it the most improved subject among males.
For females, Languages had the highest percentage of top performers in 1960, exceeding 40%, but this declined to roughly 30% by 2000. Meanwhile, the proportion of female students excelling in Humanities rose from around 25% to over 30%, overtaking Languages as the leading subject.
In summary, male students saw a decline in Science and Mathematics, while female students lost their dominance in Languages. By 2000, Humanities had become the strongest subject for both genders.