Are Boys Trailing Girls Around The Globe?

So how does the underachievement of boys in the U.S compare with the rest of the world?

Short answer: In most of the industrialized countries, in places where girls have equal access to education, boys are lagging.

Here's an article from Cambodia in this morning's papers decrying the way boys are falling behind there.

Just 65.92 percent of male students passed the high school exam this year, compared with 77.26 percent of females.
The ministry says it is preparing an action plan to encourage male high school students to pay more attention to studies.
Similar findings have long been identified in Western countries, including the US, Australia and parts of Europe.

Interestingly, the government education ministry there is already expressing concern abut the problem and ready to take action. Not here.