STIMIE urges teachers to support girls to read science courses

Stakeholders in Science Technology Mathematics Innovation Education (STIMIE), the local chapter of Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) have called on parents to encourage their daughters to read science and mathematics-related subjects right from the kindergarten for them grow with it.

They have also admonished teachers to motivate girls/ladies/women of school-going, to study science courses so that they can also become The Engineers, The Architects, and The Mathematicians like the men.

The debate to have more girls reading science courses was re-ignited at a five-day stakeholders workshop organized by the Greater Accra Regional STIMIE in partnership with UNESCO in Accra, under the theme: Equipping the STMIE Coordinator to be gender responsive in their field of work.

The workshop has brought together about 19 STIMIE District Coordinators in The Region for a training workshop.

In her presentation, the Greater Accra Regional Coordinator of STIMIE, Berthy Buah expressed her concerns about how some parents restrict girl child to kitchen, washing and cleaning of the house.

According to her, "in some homes with Boys and Girls, Boys are often allowed to use the computer and other learning materials but Girls are made to do household chores", she grieves.

The primary objectives of the training workshop are to: Introduce current STEM pedagogies and curriculum ideas to teacher educators and curriculum specialists to support girls in the field of studies, and to also introduce technology-based opportunities for gender-responsive course development and delivery.

Expected results

from the training workshop has the following expected results: Improved capacity of STEM teacher educators in Key TTIs to develop gender responsive, contextualized, micro-scale (low-cost) STEM teaching-learning materials, improved capacity of STEM teacher educators to use STEM eBooks and STEM coding programs, improved capacity of teachers in project schools to apply coding, eBooks and micro-scale (low-cost) materials with a gender focus to teach and assess STEM subjects and increased participation and performance of girls in STEM.