Women working in the field of science have urged girls at the secondary school level of education to take up science subjects to enable them to fit into the competitive job market.
The women say that there is considerable underrepresentation of women and girls in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-related career fields.
They also point out that predictions by the government show that a lot of jobs in the future will be in science-related fields, and they are therefore calling on girls to take up these opportunities.
“Statistics have shown that a lot of careers in the 21st century are in the sciences. For instance, our projections as a country are that 60 per cent of our workforce will be in STEM, and that is why the government is guiding us towards STEM courses, and it will be wrong for girls to be left behind,” said Dr. Purity Ngina, Regional Manager of the Zizi Afrique Foundation and Kenya’s youngest PhD holder in Biomathematics.
Their sentiments are backed by UN-Women 2022 findings, which showed that only 29.2 per cent of women worldwide work in STEM-related fields, compared to 49.3 per cent of women who are working in non-STEM-related occupations.
These figures also corroborate a 2020 UNESCO report which showed that only 30 per cent of researchers worldwide are women. According to the UNESCO study, only 35 per cent of all students enrolled in STEM-related fields of study are women. The study further showed that only 14 per cent of women in Kenya are in the natural sciences, while 11 per cent are in engineering and technology.
To bridge the gap, the UN-Women, in a statement to mark the 9th International Day of Women and Girls in Science, called for partnerships and engagements in equipping girls with the right skills.
The UN body similarly called for engagement in addressing workplace issues that dissuade women from participating in STEM careers. They also championed the adoption of practices and policies that attract and promote women into STEM career paths.
“Skills in STEM will play an important role in the jobs of the future. We need to invest this opportunity in young women in every country, ensuring that they have the right skills for these jobs and are not held back by negative stereotypes and discrimination,” said UN Women in a statement.
The women who were speaking at Tumutumu Girls Secondary School in Nyeri during the celebrations have also appealed to players in the education sector and women in STEM to mentor girls.
According to Kenya Urban Roads Authority Director of Planning and Development, Eng Jacinta Mwangi, many girls are steering clear of science careers due to lack of continuous mentorship and lack of support from their parents to pursue sciences.
“Many girls are still not getting into these spaces, so there is a need for continuous mentorship about the importance of mathematics and science.
Even as we are talking to these girls, it is also important for parents to be reminded that STEM courses are not the preserve of men. So we are also reaching out to the parents of these children to encourage them to believe in their children and to support them to do well in science,” said Eng Mwangi.
In 2018, Dr. Ngina made history by becoming the youngest PhD holder in the country when she graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Biomathematics at Strathmore University at the age of 28 years. To date, at 34, she is still the youngest PhD holder in the field, which uses mathematical models to explain phenomena in biology.
By Wangari Mwangi
