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By Wisdom JONNY-NUEKPE The Ghana Employers’ Association (GEA) has officially launched the ‘Girls and Technology Programme, to boost Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), education in Junior and Senior High Schools across the country. The programme which is in collaboration with the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO), aims to encourage young girls in junior and senior high schools to pursue STEM careers. A significant gender disparity exists in STEM education in Ghana, with girls and women being underrepresented, especially in higher education and research. This gap is perpetuated by societal stereotypes that limit girls’ roles, a lack of female role models in STEM fields, and curriculum biases that show men in professional roles and women in domestic ones. Other factors include financial constraints, harassment, and a lack of resources like well-equipped labs, which particularly affect girls, especially in rural areas. Data from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, indicates that women made up 28 percent of the global STEM workforce in 2024. It states that STEM students constitute 35 percent globally, whilst female engineering graduates are just about 28 percent annually. However, the Director, Resource Development and Membership Services at GEA, Madam Yvonne Asare Yeboa, explained that the Association through the initiative, will embark on mentorship, innovation and career exposure in STEM for young girls, to train in IT-oriented organisations that are members of the Association. “It is a novel programme with our partners from Norway, who are very passionate about the growth and progress of young females in Ghana” she said. The programme, Madam Yeboa, said has enrolled seven schools for the start, but will select more schools in the coming years for the annual programme. “We are currently working with Achimota School, West Africa SHS, Accra Girls’, La Bawaleshie Basic School, and University of Ghana Basic School among others” she indicated. Project Manager for Norwegian Girls and Tech Project, Vibeke Saarem, said the need for Norway to support this initiative has become more important in order to introduce more girls into STEM training and careers. She said the initiative is expected to draw more girls in schools to STEM whilst offering them a pathway to look up to role models for positive impacts. “The programme has been designed to boost self-esteem of young girls and empower them to belong in the world of technology,” Ms Saarem noted. Head of Capital and Programme Management at Telecel Ghana, Dr Joyce Koi-Akrofi, who was the guest of honour at the event, said it was important for society to break the stereotypes that limit girls’ participation in STEM. According to her, barriers and stereotypes such as, science and math being for boys alone, ICT is not for girls; lack of financial aid, inadequate number of trainers among others, prevent interest in STEM education by young girls. Dr Koi-Akrofi said government’s current intentional drive to deepen STEM education and policy in basic schools across the country, is an encouraging one. She maintained that as private sector players are doing their best to contribute to STEM education, government must as well drive an early exposure campaign, where STEM is introduced at the basic level of education. “This must be supported with mentorship by role models, equipping basic schools with STEM materials, financial and scholarship opportunities for girls to study STEM among others” she suggested.
