Men drive the growth of the General Baccalaureate, which triples the number of students

PalmThe General Baccalaureate has been at the forefront of one of the most significant transformations in post-compulsory education in recent years. This track—designed for students who haven't yet decided on a specific pathway—combines subjects from Science and Technology, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Arts, offering an interdisciplinary education that breaks with the rigidity of traditional baccalaureate programs. Since the 2022-2023 academic year began, following the approval of the LOMLOE (Organic Law for the Modification of the Organic Law on Education), the number of enrolled students in the Balearic Islands has practically tripled, rising from 518 in the first year to 1,402 this year. Beyond this overall growth, a phenomenon has caught the attention of teachers and counselors: the clear masculinization of this track. Data from 2022 to 2025 show a sustained increase in male students across all the islands, to the point that, in some cases, they make up well over 60% of the total. In Mallorca, men represented 55.5% of students in the first year, reaching 62% in 2024 (58% in 2025), while in Menorca they have consistently remained between 55% and 60%. In Ibiza, male enrollment has skyrocketed from 47% in 2022 to 62.5% in 2025. In Formentera, they now account for 77% of enrollments. Men represent 58.2% of those currently enrolled in the General Baccalaureate program in the Balearic Islands (2025-2026).

However, the presence of women is higher in upper secondary education (Bachillerato) in general. According to data from the 2025 Education Yearbook, corresponding to the last academic year, they represented 54.72% of students enrolled in upper secondary education. These figures show minimal variations between years, but they validate the fact that women are the ones who most frequently access post-compulsory education and reach university.

New dynamics

The introduction of the General Baccalaureate has reversed the historical dynamics of this stage of education, in which the Humanities and Social Sciences track was the most common. With the arrival of the General Baccalaureate, the balance has shifted: the science track has overtaken the humanities track, and the flexible option has attracted many students who did not fit into any traditional track. Between 2022 and 2025, the overall number of students in the General Baccalaureate in the Balearic Islands grew from 518 to 1,402, an increase of 170%. The increase is particularly pronounced in Mallorca, which went from 461 students to more than 1,163 in just three years, and also in Menorca, where it skyrocketed from 22 to 129. Ibiza went from 34 to 88, and Formentera from 1 to 22. In the latter case, although the absolute numbers are small, they are significant considering the Baccalaureate.

The gender breakdown suggests that many of these new students are young people who see the General Baccalaureate as a less rigid and more manageable path than traditional options, at a time in their lives when everything is uncertain. This is a widespread perception in schools: the possibility of combining subjects and delaying the final academic decision means that some young people—especially boys—find a space they didn't feel comfortable with in the rigid science, humanities, and arts tracks. According to guidance counselors consulted, the unfounded idea that the General Baccalaureate might be less demanding than other tracks also plays a role, although this doesn't correspond to reality: it's simply a combined track, not easier. Furthermore, students who previously would have pursued intermediate-level vocational training because they didn't feel suited to traditional tracks have found in the General Baccalaureate an option that suits them.

The spread of the General Baccalaureate has resulted in a rapidly growing pathway, but one with a more pronounced gender imbalance. If this trend continues, the General Baccalaureate could become a predominantly male pathway, a scenario that poses significant challenges for educational guidance and equal opportunities. These challenges aim to prevent gender bias between different tracks from determining the demographic makeup of university degrees and, consequently, future professionals. What is clear, for now, is that the introduction of the General Baccalaureate has reshaped the post-compulsory education landscape by opening a new door for undecided students and introducing a previously lacking element of adaptability. Even today, students are still required to decide at age 15 what they would like to pursue professionally in order to choose the Baccalaureate track that will grant them access to the corresponding university degree.

Now, at that time, most students are still immature and in many cases lack a clear focus. Their boss has other concerns typical of adolescence. Over the years, this hasty choice has led many young people to pursue an unsuitable high school diploma and, later, the wrong degree. It is in this context that the new reality of the 'regretful' emerges: students who drop out of university because they perceive they have chosen the wrong career path or because they don't even remember why they enrolled. The General Baccalaureate was introduced to try to avoid this situation or, at least, to combat it.