Tanzanian women make strides in STEM
DODOMA: TANZANIA has made significant progress in empowering women and girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), with data showing that 36 per cent of females are engaged in the field.
Globally, the participation rate of women and girls in STEM stands at only 33 per cent, according to the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Labour, Youth, Employment and People with Disabilities) Mr Ridhiwani Kikwete.
Mr Ridhiwani was speaking in Dodoma on Tuesday during the commemoration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. The Minister said, science and gender equality are both essential for achieving internationally agreed development goals, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
To ensure that women and girls actively participate in STEM, Tanzania is taking measures that aim at motivating them to contribute to economic development and innovation.
“Empowering women and girls in leadership and STEM will not only promote gender equality but also enhance research and innovation to address social and economic challenges,” the minister stated at the event, which was attended by students from various schools in Dodoma.
According to Mr Ridhiwani, in the financial year 2023/24, a total of 176 female students out of 188 who passed a special programme at the Open University of Tanzania (OUT) were enrolled in STEM-related courses.
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He said the Higher Education Students’ Loan Board (HESLB) prioritises supporting students in science-related fields. He added that President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s Scholarship Scheme is complementing the effort by funding girls pursuing STEM courses.
The minister urged stakeholders to develop systems that will encourage more women and girls to actively engage in STEM.
He also assured that pupils with autism that they will not be left behind since the government has already set programmes in place to nurture their potential.
On his part, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Dr Wilson Mahela insisted that the government will continue working with various stakeholders to increase the number of women and girls in STEM.
Stakeholders at the event noted that the collaboration between the public and private sectors will help advance the STEM agenda among girls and women.
Earlier, the Deputy Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Mr Omary Kipanga highlighted global education and employment statistics indicating that women and girls remain significantly underrepresented in science fields compared to men.
He called for a stronger public-private partnership to address this challenge.
Tanzania has been commemorating the International Day of Women and Girls in Science since 2021.
