BY Hafsa Obeng, GNA
Accra, Feb. 13, GNA – The Youth Bridge Foundation has called on government to prioritise Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education for the girl-child and invest more in educational infrastructure in a manner that would make these subjects attractive to many young women.
It said the YBF was of the firm belief and conviction that no nation could develop and solve basic socio-economic challenges without building a critical mass of its human resource in STEM.
“Given that women constitute close to 52 per cent of Ghana’s population, the crucial importance of their education in the area of STEM cannot be glossed over,” the YBF said.
A release issued to the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday, signed by Mr Seth Oteng, the Executive Director of the YBF, said as a youth-focused educational organisation, with the goal of bridging gaps for positive youth development, it wanted government to contribute its quota to ensuring that the education of the girl-child in STEM was taken seriously.
It said girl-child education, particularly in science, had 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 by the UN on girl-child education in science in 2004, the probability for female students graduating with Bachelors’, Masters’, and Doctorate’ degrees in science related fields are 18 per cent, eight per cent, and two per cent respectively.
The release said it was to deal with this challenge, promote gender equity and ensure women empowerment that the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring February 11 as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
It said the global celebration fell in line with Tullow Ghana’s funded STEM Project dubbed: “Educate to Innovate with STEM,” implemented by the YBF in six coastal districts of the Western Region.
The release said the Project primarily sought 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 International Day of Women and Girls in Science, under the theme: “Investment in Women in Science for Inclusive Green Growth,” the YBF commended all young women and girls for their renewed interest and willingness to take education in Mathematics and Science seriously.
It also commended government for its efforts at sustaining focus in STEM education, adding, however, 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,” the release said.
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.
GNA
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