Girls, brains are genderless, seize scholarships

DAR ES SALAAM: SO, 50 students just bagged golden tickets to the tech world’s big leagues namely Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Oxford and Peking University among the reputable universities in this planet! No, it is not a movie plot.

It is the real deal, powered by the Tanzania’s government’s new brainchild: The Samia Scholarship Extended for Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and Allied Sciences (SSE-DS/AI+).

The catch? Only seven of the 50 are girls. Yes, seven. Out of 50. That is barely a girl per continent. Girls, we need to talk.

The government is not playing games. They are investing in real education reform: Building schools in every ward, expanding dorms so girls don’t have to trek 15 kilometres in the hot sun and rains to reach school.

And now they are offering a scholarship so elite, it is practically the academic version of the Champions League.

Full coverage of tuition, flights, food, even soft skills like leadership and public speaking (finally, something useful for group presentations).

Let us get this straight, it is about the girls owning the future and they must be equipped or skilled in studies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data science, which are the tools that will run everything from diagnosing diseases, to designing climate-smart agriculture and to building apps, the modern world wants. If you are not at the table, you are on the menu.

Girls, it is time to pull up a chair and maybe a laptop too, because brains have no gender. But statistics apparently do. In the scholarships to study in such reputable universities, only 13 girls applied out of 96 total applicants.

That is not just disappointing, it is dangerous. It is a sign that somewhere, girls are being subtly told: “This is not for you.” Well, guess what? That voice is wrong, outdated and probably jealous of your potential.

ALSO READ: Grab global scholarships, Tanzanians urged

The government is throwing everything it has at fixing the gap. But it can’t do algebra for you. You have got to do the work.

Swap a scroll for a chapter. Be the girl who codes, not the girl who copies. It is now the time for the Female Intelligence Takeover.

And it starts with hard work. Not magic. Not luck. Just solid effort, every day. This is not the time for “maybe next year.”

It is time to aim high, study harder and believe that your brain is just as capable as anyone else’s. Especially if it comes with a dream and a decent Wi-Fi connection. The government is ready. The world is watching.

The question is: Will you show up? Imagine this: Next year, the list of selected students is published again, but this time, half are girls. That is not just a nice start. That is a movement. One built on books, sweat, curiosity and courage.

So, to every parent and student reading this: Our children must study, because the sixth phase government is fully behind them with such good initiatives. And to every girl out there who ever wondered if science is for her: It is not just for you. It is waiting for you.