Global statistics highlight a concerning trend: 1 in 4 girls aged 15–19 falls into the Neither in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET) category. In India, this figure escalates to 1 in 2 (PLFS 2020). Barriers hindering the engagement of girls in STEM education and careers manifest across personal, institutional/structural, and social levels.
According to the National Science Foundation, 80 percent of jobs will demand Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) skills in the next decade. The onset of the Fourth Industrial Revolution signifies a new era of technology, innovation, and digital transformation. Despite the potential of India’s STEM education ecosystem, a notable gender disparity continues to impede its full realization.
Global statistics highlight a concerning trend: 1 in 4 girls aged 15–19 falls into the Neither in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET) category. In India, this figure escalates to 1 in 2 (PLFS 2020). Barriers hindering the engagement of girls in STEM education and careers manifest across personal, institutional/structural, and social levels.
Research indicates that girls initially express interest in STEM during their formative years, typically between ages 8 and 10. However, as they enter adolescence, a significant decline in self-esteem regarding their competence in these subjects occurs, dampening their enthusiasm for STEM.
Gender stereotypes surrounding STEM
Moreover, gender stereotypes surrounding STEM contribute to the perception that excellence in mathematics and science is reserved for boys, while girls are expected to gravitate toward other fields.
According to the report by Sattva Knowledge Institute, girls encounter diverse challenges across various life stages. Beyond institutional hurdles of access, affordability, and infrastructure, classroom practices are pivotal in influencing girls’ confidence to pursue STEM education.
A significant obstacle is the limited exposure and awareness among parents and teachers concerning gender-sensitive approaches to STEM education. The absence of innovative gender-sensitive pedagogy, coupled with a shortage of female teachers and role models, acts as a deterrent to the uptake of STEM disciplines.
Lack of effective teaching methodologies
The lack of adequate teaching methodologies to foster scientific curiosity among students contributes to their inability to develop proficiency in STEM subjects. This, coupled with low self-esteem, serves as a barrier hindering girls’ inclination towards STEM disciplines.
Efforts for STEM in women and girls education
Despite the current challenges, there are reasons for optimism regarding the future of gender equality in STEM education. Over the past decade, collaborative efforts between philanthropists, the government, and NGOs have implemented various measures, offering hope for the expansion of successful pilot interventions.
The Tejaswini Project, a World Bank initiative, is pivotal in enhancing girls’ enrollment in STEM and improving graduation rates in secondary and higher secondary schools.
The Atal Tinkering Labs, an initiative by the Indian government to nurture scientific temper and entrepreneurial mindsets, has made significant strides. Present in 10,000 schools, it has impacted around 7.5 million middle and high school students.
Interventions focused on cultivating life skills, particularly self-esteem, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities, have yielded positive results in sparking girls’ interest and engagement in STEM courses.
The STEM for Girls program, a collaborative effort by IBM and Quest Alliance, is centered on cultivating a STEM mindset. This encompasses both subject knowledge and the development of crucial attitudes, values, and core skills related to gender education. The program aims to enhance girls’ ability to negotiate gender norms, motivating them to pursue more inclusive solutions to problems with engagement with parents and exposure to role models are integral components of this initiative.
The Plan it Girls intervention, led by the International Center for Research on Women, seeks to reshape girls’ self-perception of gender attitudes. Through collaboration with key institutions such as schools and stakeholders like teachers and parents, this initiative addresses societal bottlenecks affecting girls’ engagement in STEM fields.
UK report recommending activities to address gender gap in STEM
Independent non-profit organization EngineeringUK has recommended increasing and improving STEM outreach activities for girls to address the gender gap in engineering and technology.
In its report titled “Rapid Evidence Review – Interventions to increase girls’ aspirations for engineering and technology careers”, EngineeringUK found that women are significantly underrepresented in engineering and technology, accounting for only 16.5 percent of the engineering workforce compared to 47.7 percent of the total workforce.
Key takeaways from the report include engaging girls with engineering and technology at an early age, challenging gender stereotypes, understanding the complexities of gender identity, and featuring role models closer to their age are among the crucial lessons for successful outreach programs. Showcasing a diverse range of career paths in the field can also generate interest in the subject, it added.
Incorporating an inclusive approach
Recognizing that young girls are often overlooked as data points in the transition from STEM education to STEM professions, it is imperative to incorporate an intersectional and inclusive approach.
Solutions should be designed to overcome structural, social, and personal barriers, facilitating not only their enrollment in STEM but also ensuring retention in higher education, ultimately paving the way for successful careers in STEM fields.
