Gavin Williamson has said it is a “shocking disgrace” that white working class boys are the most underrepresented group at UK universities.
White males from low-income families are the "least likely" group to go to university, according to Department for Education figures.
The Education Secretary said part of the Government’s “levelling up” agenda was to tackle this inequality.
He made the comments during a Conservative Party conference discussion with his former sixth form teacher Peter Ashton.
Mr Williamson said: “White working class young boys are the most underrepresented group of individuals who go on to university.
“To me that is a shocking disgrace. It is wrong. It’s got to be corrected.
“We are going to correct that because - as the Prime Minister has said many many times - talent is incredibly evenly distributed right across the country. Opportunity is not.”
Chairman of the House of Commons education select committee, Robert Halfon, has previously said there has almost been a "taboo" talking about it.
A recent report found just 13 per cent of "male, white British, free school meals" pupils go on to higher education.
Meanwhile, 59 per cent of black students are progressing to higher education, with the number standing at 64 per cent for Asian students.
