Stem needs girls – ICT in teaching and learning, a tool for girls empowerment

On 25th September 2021, the Zonta Club of Ibadan 1 trained no fewer than 200 secondary school girls and 40 teachers on enhancing girls’ participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). 

The President of the organisation, Dr Olajumoke Akere, made this known at the grand finale of an event tagged, “STEM Needs Girls and U Teach STEM”, in Ibadan on Sunday.

She said the training was geared toward bridging gaps in STEM fields.

Akere said that the organisation would strive to expand the scope of the training.
According to her, statistics has shown that only 28 per cent of females are into STEM professions globally, while gender gap is high and fast growing in computer science and engineering which are considered to be the dependable professions in future. 

She added that the training was to encourage girls to take up careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics to widen their intellectual horizons as well as achieve self-sustainablity.
“We believe that there is gender imbalance in these professions; hence, the need for more girls in STEM careers,” she said.

Akere said that the society would need to motivate and encourage girls to go into STEM.
“We believe that a career in STEM will help them to be contributive and productive to the society, themselves and global environment.

“If we look at the 21st century, one of the skills that are very important for any individual to have is Information and Communication Technology (ICT),” Akere said.
She suggested expansion of after-school and summer school opportunities for girls and provision of professional education to teachers, among others. 

In a keynote address, the Director in-charge of ICT at the University of Ibadan, Mrs Abiodun Alao, called on governments to adequately fund ICT education and provide necessary facilities for schools. 
“The major thing our government should do is to provide an enabling environment, and in doing so, the government needs to ensure that schools are well-funded.

“The truth is that ICT is capital intensive and it is not something some individuals or even some schools will be able to do successfully without the necessary financial backing from government.
“It is high time we had a stream or what we call the highline of intervention for ICT.
“Until the government gives this attention, schools will continue to struggle and develop at their own pace,” Alao said.