By Ime Ben
The United nation has set aside every February 11, as
International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
This year, the day is celebrated globally today, with the
theme ‘’Investment in Women and Girls In Science for
Inclusive Green Growth’’, suffice it to say that science and
gender equality are both vital for the achievement of the
internationally agreed development goals.
Over the years, reports indicate that the global community
has made a lot of efforts in inspiring and encouraging
women and girls in science-related areas, yet women
continue to be excluded from fully participating in science
education.
According to statistics, less than 30 per cent of researchers
worldwide are women presently. Again, data from United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization,
UNESCO, in 2014 and 2016 showed that only about 30
percent of all female students select science-related fields
in higher education.
Even in the secondary school level today, it is evident that
majority of female students do scare away from science-
related areas. While some of them attribute their fear for
science subjects to little or no advantage knowledge of
mathematics others do point accusing fingers on lack of
well-equipped science laboratories, especially in most public
schools.
Apart from this, laziness and lack of curiosity on the part of
individual female student towards science-related discipline
also contribute, in no small measure to their reasons of
shying away from sciences.
To achieve full and equal access to science education for
female students, and further achieve gender equality and
empowerment of women, the United Nations General
Assembly adopted and declared every 11th February as the
International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
Therefore, the task to encourage women and girls in science
should begin from the parents. Here, parents should begin
from the parents. Here, parents should be able to allay fear
and perception of their female children that science subjects
and courses are more difficult than others.
Ministries of Education should do well to also encourage
female students in science by employing more qualified
female science teachers into secondary schools and higher
institutions to handle science –related subjects and
courses, as such could also serve as motivating factor for
female students.
The popular and uniform idea of politicians, printing and
distributing customized exercise books, mostly on election
season like this to show their love and encouragement for
education is a welcome development, but it would serve a
better purpose if such political gesture is channeled into
distribution of general science and mathematics textbooks
to students, as such could also encourage the students zeal
and improved performance in science education.
On the their hand, science laboratories, mostly those of
Physics, Chemistry and Biology should be well-equipped
with modern apparatus in both public and private schools to
wet students appetite in science education.
School libraries should be furnished with modern science
textbooks and make available to students at all time.
The Science Teachers’ Association of Nigeria, in
collaboration with the federal, state and local governments
including corporate organizations, should always organize
science quiz competitions, mostly for female students
where encouraging prizes should be given out to winners.
Also, government should place teachers’ welfare top in their
priority list in order to encourage them to put in their best in
the profession knowing that to whom much is given, much
is expected.
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