The objective of the study is to compare the gender gap in Government and Nongovernmentrnschools in Addis Ababa and the socio-economic conditions that contribute tornsuch gender gap in both types of schools. It also examines the effect of socio-economicrnbackground of students on their results in schools by taking their results in 200512006rngrade ten National Examination.rnBoth primary and secondary data were usedfor this study. Primary data was collected byrnsurvey method, Focus Group Discussions and key informant interviews. Secondary datarnwas obtained from wrillen materials: both published and unpublished. Qualitative and,rnquantitative methods of analysis were used in this study. For quantitative analysis,rndifferent methods of descriptive and inferential statistics were used.rnAccording to the findings of the study, the students in non-government schools come fromrnbeller socio-economic background than those in government schools as reflected inrnparental income and parental education. Considering their results in grade ten nationalrnexamination students in non-government schools score beller than those in governmentrnschuuls. There is relationship between studems ' performance in school and their socioeconomicrnbackground in both types of schools. The gender gap in performance isrndifferent in both types of schools, in government schools it is infavor of male students, inrnnon-government schools it is slightly in favor of female students.rnThe difference in socio-economic background of students in both types of schoolsrncontributes for such difference in gender gap in both types of schools. The females in nonrngovernment schools achieve beller in national examination than their counterparts inrngovernment schools. The males in non- government schools achieve beller than theirrncounterparts in government schools. As far as parental involvement In theirrnchildrens 'schooling is concerned those parents who send their children to nongovernmentrnschools are involved in their children's schooling better than those parentsrnwho send their children to government schools