Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences (PJSS) Vol. 34, No. 1 (2014), pp. 93-100 Gender Disparity in Mathematics Achievement among the Rural and Urban High School Students in Pakistan Intzar Hussain Butt, PhD Assistant Professor University of Education, Lahore ib@ue.edu.pk Ashiq Hussain Dogar, PhD Assistant Professor University of Education, Lahore drashiqhussain@ue.edu.pk Abstract: The Millennium Development Goals require all the nations to eradicate gender disparity at all levels of education by year 2015. Pakistan is far from attaining the target even at the school level. This study took a step forward and explored the gender disparity in high school mathematics achievement in the rural and urban areas of the Province of Punjab, Pakistan. The sample for the study consists of 22,824 boys and 23,796 girls from rural schools, and 18,805 boys and 21,905 girls from urban schools. In all, there are 957 rural schools and 596 urban schools. The data is analyzed by using correlation analysis, univariate ANOVA and multiple regression analysis techniques. It is revealed that the boys performed, on average, significantly higher than girls on mathematics achievement. It is also evident that students from urban schools significantly outperformed their counterparts. The effect of gender and school location was found to be independent of each other. Keywords: Gender, MDGs. disparity, locale, mathematics, achievement I. Introduction Pakistan is a signatory to the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals that required eradicating gender disparity at all levels of education by 2015. The dream is yet to be realized even at school level. Sizeable allocation for resources and sustained efforts are required to achieve the gender equity in Pakistan. Contrary to the above the public spending on educating has been persistently decreasing since 2006-07: Pakistan spent 2.50% , 2.47%, 2.10%, and 2.05% of the GDP in the years 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, and 2009-10 respectively (Pakistan Economic Survey 2009-10). There were 100 male students for every 75 female students at secondary level in Pakistan in 2007-08 (Pakistan Economic Survey 2008-09). The gender gap in participation in rural areas is wider than that in urban areas. The lowest gender parity index has been reported at secondary level by Pakistan Economic Survey, 2008-09. Eliminating gender disparity in participation at secondary level is the first step towards providing equitable opportunities for learning, and subsequent carrier development. Secondary education is an important point in the academic life of children