Background
Girl-child education particularly in science has been low and unsatisfactory in many developing countries. Over the past 15 years, the global community has made some efforts aimed at inspiring and boosting science education among young women. Despite the efforts, science education among young women remains low. According to a study conducted in 14 countries the UN on girl-child education in science in 2004, the probability for female students graduating with Bachelors’, Masters’ and Doctorates’ degrees in science related fields are 18%, 8% and 2% respectively.
It was to deal with this challenge, promote gender equity and ensure women empowerment that the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring 11th February as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. The global celebration falls in line in with the Tullow Ghana Limited’s funded Science, Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) Project dubbed: Educate to Innovate with STEM, implemented by Youth Bridge Foundation (YBF) in six Coastal Districts of the Western Region. The Project primarily seeks to promote and inspire interest in STEM education and improve performance in core subjects of Mathematics and Science at both the Basic and Senior High School levels.
Going by this year’s (2019) International Day of Women and Girls in Science celebration under the theme “Investment in women in Science for Inclusive Green Growth,” the YBF commends all young women and the Ghanaian girl–child for their renewed interest and willingness to take education within the subject areas of Mathematics and Science seriously. We also commend government for its efforts at sustaining focus in STEM education.
However, YBF wishes to draw the attention of government to the fact that more work must be done to boost the interest of the girl-child in Science education. In a study conducted by the Brookings Institute in 2017, it was discovered that even though women earn 57 per cent of College Degrees, only 35 per cent are in the area of STEM education.
We therefore call on government to prioritize STEM education, for the girl-child in Ghana and to invest more in educational infrastructure in a manner that would make STEM education attractive to many young women.
The YBF is of the firm belief and conviction that no nation can develop and solve basic socio-economic challenges without building a critical mass of its human resource capital who have received training and education in the area of STEM. Given that women constitute close to 52 percent of Ghana’s population, the crucial importance of their education in the area of STEM cannot be glossed over.
The youth-focused educational organisation, that has the goal of bridging gaps for positive youth development therefore calls on government to contribute its quota to ensure that STEM education among young women and the Ghanaian girl-child is taken seriously by all.
YBF, a non-Governmental organisation of the yearly leadership grooming programme African Youth and Governance Convergence (AYGC), is accredited with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Special Consultative Status.
Seth Oteng (Mr)
Executive Director
Submitted
