While the UK frets about girls outperforming boys at school, Unesco releases a huge dataset (this is the pdf) this morning that shows the number of girls being educated in the developing world still trailing massively behind the number of boys. We have an interactive map that allows you to compare primary with secondary schools, and view changes over time.
Our colleagues over on the Global development site tell us that a sharp increase in the total number of students completing primary school is creating huge demand for secondary school places, and there aren't nearly enough of them. In sub-Saharan Africa, where the situation is most acute, the Unesco report warns there are only enough places for 36% of secondary school age children.
More education news from the Guardian
• Jamie Oliver fears the school meals revolution he kickstarted is in danger of unravelling because ministers are ignoring research showing that nutritious lunches improve learning. In an interview with Denis Campbell, the celebrity chef has accused the education secretary, Michael Gove, and the health secretary, Andrew Lansley, of putting at risk the changes that happened after his 2005 Channel 4 series, Jamie's School Dinners.
The Guardian Teacher Network has some exclusive resources by Jamie Oliver to teach kids how to cook healthy meals.
• Why are so many students being forced to do their Ucas applications early? Surely it's not in their best interests? Lucy Tobin finds out.
• Ucas has reported a significant drop in the number of applications it has received for 2012, compared with the same time last year. Jessica Shepherd considers what conclusions it is safe to draw at this stage.
• Education spending is being slashed by more than 14% - the largest cut since the 1950s, Britain's leading tax and spending experts, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), have warned. They calculate public spending on UK education will fall by 14.4% between 2010-11 and 2014-15.
• Once a goth, always a goth - or so the research seems to show, writes Louise Tickle. And we have a gallery that proves the point.
Guardian views
• Estelle Morris: The new shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg has enough experience to play the long game on free schools and academies and build a fair Labour policy.
• Carl Lygo: Universities could cut their fees if they learned to be more businesslike.
Education news from around the web
• The Telegraph says the latest Ucas figures show subjects like media studies are showing the greatest fall in applications:
"The subjects worst hit are those which students may consider would offer the least reward and which tend to be offered by the less prestigious institutions.
Applications for mass communication and documentation subjects have been hit the hardest, falling 40.6% compared to this time last year.
Education courses have also suffered, with applications dropping by 30% while interest in creative arts has dropped by 27.1% and business and administration studies by 26.1%."
• A London council is paying the university tuition fees of some of its poorest students in what the Evening Standard believes is the first scheme of its kind in the country. Six school-leavers have been awarded scholarships worth more than £10,000 each over three years by Southwark council.
• Why is Ofsted's system so oppressive? And what does it say about education's aims? Those are the questions Warwick Mansell sets out to answer in his latest blog for the NAHT. It's far too detailed for a quick summary - you'll have to read it yourselves - but he does point to the problem of inspectors having to tie their opinions on every area of school life too closely to the results pupils get in tests.
Guardian Careers live Q&A
What to do with a degree in fashion: If you'd like to know more about the options open to you once you've graduated, join our live Q&A from 1pm today.
On the Guardian Higher Network
• Sufficiently worried about falling international students numbers, Australia's government has recently reviewed its visa system. The UK should follow its lead, says Tamson Pietsch
• Paul Redmond, president elect of AGCAS, and head of careers and employability at the University of Liverpool, talks about embedding employability, graduate recruitment and helicopter parents
Innovation in Education conference
How can we keep creativity alive in schools in an age of austerity and traditionalism? At this one-day event for school leaders and policy-makers, to be chaired by Judy Friedberg, we'll discuss the implications of cuts and curriculum changes with speakers including Russell Hobby, Jim Knight, Graham Stuart, Mick Waters and David Puttnam. Latest info on the Innovation in Education page - and @InnovateEducate on Twitter.
Education seminars from Guardian Professional
The Guardian Teacher Network runs training sessions for teachers throughout the year in Yorkshire and London. Upcoming courses include:
Is your school thinking of becoming an academy?
This seminar will provide an independent view of the advantages and disadvantages of converting to academy status. It will look at the process of conversion, the implications of academy status, and the support and funding available. November 30, in London. February 21, 2012 in Yorkshire
Protecting young people in a digital age
Led by school digital safety experts, this one-day course will provide safeguarding policy and Ofsted criteria updates, as well as looking at social media and offering practical advice to help your school develop its digital safety policies. February 1, 2012 in London. February 8, 2012 in Yorkshire.
For a full list visit the Guardian Teacher Network
Teachers seminar from the Guardian Education Centre
Insight into digital journalism
Spend a day at the Guardian and find out how an international news media organisation works. The seminar will focus on aspects of digital journalism including writing and editing for a news website, the relationship between print and web journalism, live blogging, the use of social media, podcasting and video production.
2 November, Kings Place, London
Find us on the Guardian website
All today's EducationGuardian stories
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook
Guardian Teacher Network on Twitter
Guardian Education Centre on Twitter
EducationGuardian resources
The Guardian University Guide 2011
The Guardian Postgraduate Guide 2011
The world's top 100 universities
Updating table of university fee announcements for 2012
From Guardian Professional
The Higher Education Network for university professionals
Free online classroom resources on the Teacher Network
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