Figure CRF5.3 shows the average performance of grade five students in Marshall Islands by gender. On average, grade five girls (455.91, SD = 90.54) scored higher than grade five boys (422.25, SD = 92.55) in reading. This is consistent with the scores in the 2015 and 2018 PILNA cycles, when grade five girls scored higher on average than grade five boys in reading performance.  The mean performance in reading for grade five girls decreased by 17 points in 2021 but the decrease was greater for grade five boys, 37 points as shown in Figure CRF5.4.