Over the years, employable skills in the field of maths and science have been dominated by men.
It has become normal to have 2 out of 80 science students been girls.
It is to help change this perception that the Public Affairs Section of the US embassy is organizing a week long workshop in Accra, Tamale and Kumasi for school girls aged 10-14.
Women and girls have historically been under-represented in the study of math and science.
Interestingly, female students have over the years accepted the perception, science and maths are for the “sharp brain” – boys.
Speaking to Joy News, during the Accra program, Director General, Ghana India Kofi Annan center of excellence in ICT, Dorothy Gordon explained, for Ghana’s economy to expand, more focus needs to be paid on promoting science and math education in the Junior and Senior High Schools.
She said “Society is becoming even more technology driven than in the past and if we are going to keep up and Ghana is going to be competitive, it’s very important that we harness all our brains.
We cannot leave 51% of the nation’s brains behind and say that they are not going to partake in this technological revolution. So it is very important for Ghana – if we are going to be competitive that we harness all our brains – and that includes girls, young women and women.”
She refuted the notion that science education and professional careers in science is limited to being a doctor.
Dorothy Gordon, also called for an improvement in the quality of math and science teachers. According to her there is the “need to send very clear messaging that is something you can do as a young person it is a possibility”.
The aim of this program is to heighten their interest in math and science and also encourage them to venture into careers such as IT specialists and engineering.
Dr. Kimberly Brown, a Resource Person at the workshop, encouraged girls to take the study of math and science seriously. She noted that “the future in every economy is going to be technical jobs. So if we don’t get a lot more girls involved in technical jobs, we are going to be left out …. Computers, ICT, robotics, technology”.