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Alarm as girls drop science courses

Monday February 24 2020
girls drop science

Students pitching a project at a competition. PHOTO | CYRIL NDEGEYA

By ARAFAT MUGABO

Keeping girls pursuing science courses in schools is proving to be a hard nut to crack for authorities if the growing number of drop outs is anything to go by.

While in recent years the government has intensified efforts to promote uptake of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by girls in secondary schools, few proceed to enroll for university courses while others do not complete the courses.

Statistics from the Ministry of Education show that in 2015, 55.1 per cent of girls in secondary schools were enrolled for science courses, up from 48.7 per cent in 2011.

Rwanda Education Board (REB) 2017 academic year figures show that out of the 49,715 both boys and girls who sat advanced level national examinations in science subjects, 27,023 qualified with principle passes, which enabled them to join either public or private universities to pursue science courses.

Data from the Rwanda Higher Education Council (HEC) indicates that of the 27,023 girls, only 8,499 enrolled for science-related degrees at the university in the 2017/2018 academic year.

However, only 2,830 managed to graduate almost a quarter of the total number enrolled.

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Alphonse Sebaganwa, head of examinations, selection and assessment department at the Rwanda Education Board said the agency has not identified why many girls who complete secondary schools with high marks end up not enrolling for the same courses at the university.

“Even without comparing the statistics of students who graduate at secondary with those at the university is different from a small number of those that manage to graduate at higher learning,” said Mr Sebaganwa, adding that mindset plays a big role as some girls drop science-related courses due to peer pressure.

“This undermines government efforts in ensuring gender equality and more girls go for science courses,” he said adding. “If all girls who pass science subjects at high school join science course, the number shortly would surpass that of boys,” he added.

The number also increased for those who sat the examination in science subjects in the academic year 2018 to 28,130 girls, an addition of 1,107 students from the previous year.

The same challenge applied to the university academic year 2018/2019 where out of the 28,130 girls who passed science subjects at high school, only 10,687 took science courses at the university.

“We registered an increase of 7 per cent of girls who joined university from 2017/2018 to 2018/2019 academic year, though we need to double efforts to get many girls to enroll for science courses,”  said Rose Mukankomeje, executive director of the HEC.

“We know there is still more to be done to ensure higher numbers of girls joining the university in science course but we will improve certainly and if one looks at the trend we are on the right track,” said Ms Mukankomeje.

She said noted considering the graduates, there is an increase and the higher education agency is not worried since the government is also initiating new strategies to ensure more girls pursue science courses.

“We are certain that we will overcome the challenge and increase more women scientists in Rwanda in all sectors,” added Ms Mukankomeje.

However, students say the main challenge that hinders them from pursuing such courses is lack career guidance. Despite ongoing efforts to encourage girls to develop interest in science starting from lower classes and secondary schools, the country still registered lower numbers in students pursuing science courses.

“When one at secondary there are many initiatives and  government support to carry on with science subjects but when in vacation or in preparation for university, it is where one faces the challenge,” said Christella Uwicyeza, a fourth-year student at the University of Rwanda.

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