Many of us in the science field and beyond know the imbalance happening in the STEM(Science Technology Engineering &Mathematics) courses.. gender imbalance!
... Many of us have noticed that their are few females in the areas,when you step into an average engineering department, or technology department, you could count the number of females in these courses as opposed to other female-populated courses like Business Admin,Medical courses, Arts and etcetera.
Which leads one to ask—Why?
..Well ponder no more, here are the obvious reasons why there are few females in STEM courses. Enjoy!
1.STEM courses are too long This is a known fact,to study a course like engineering,technology,one is required to spend at least 5 years in school, and this opposes females because an average female will wanna get married as an undergraduate and even have kids, and as a result, they'd rather go for shorter courses in the social sciences,arts or business.
2.STEM courses are male dominated :Obviously! These set of courses are usually male dominated, e.g. Engineering. So for a girl to apply for theses set of courses,it would mean breaking away from the social norm of "girls going for arts and boys for STEM"
. In fact,some girls in these departments usually feel obliged to dress masculine, avoid putting on earrings, so as to avoid feeling so feminine in the midst of males. A girl will rather identify with the social norm and not want to feel odd.
3.There are few female role-models in these fields :Convincing a female to go for STEM courses will be like convincing a lion to eat grass,because there ain't much female role models that one can look up to. This discourages an average female, outside the schools,its a male dominated industry too. So? That's the consequence!
4.STEM courses are expensive :Like it or not! when you're going for a Technology or Engineering course,you will be required to pay more! And for a lower middle-class economy like Nigeria's, it will be a struggle. I've seen many students struggling to pay fees,the stress of having to work and study at the same time in order to pay fees,buy textbooks, and other expenses connected with the courses is something so daunting. As a result many females are discouraged cuz they sure can't handle the stress! Men are tough na
5. Many girls are afraid of mathematics and calculations : This is something you discover right from your days in secondary school, a lotta girls shiver whenever they encounter mathematics or any calculations .. we boys use this as a pretext to get that fine girl in our class/department lol... Consequently, many girls will rather avoid calculative courses and the likes .. they'd rather go for the theory or management based courses.. it's not their fault na,its just so they will have time for themselves. ..


Today, there are more opportunities available to girls. Organisations such as the World Academy of Science, the Organization for Women in Science in the Developing World, L’Oreal for Women in Science, the Elsevier Foundation, and the British CouncilGhana all have awards, recognition and fellowships specifically for girls and women. The Visiola Foundationalso provides scholarships for girls to study STEM, and an annual week-long STEM Summer Camp to pique the interest of women in the STEM fields from an early age.



You can add yours

hey good write up.

Fine

maybe dey're not just interested....they have passion 4 sth else

I think I prefer them dating we engineers

illmatic101:
I think I prefer them dating we engineers

yup.. its better like dat abi

juhan:
Fine


maybe dey're not just interested....they have passion 4 sth else

that's not a good enough reason .. how can all of u not have passion for engineering? ?

elriyaz:
hey good write up.

thanks man

CaptainECole:
yup.. its better like dat abi

Yes na

Them wan die nii?
Its either you stay and loss your feminism or you go away!
And most ladies can't sacrifice that much!

I rep Mech engine!

Yea,correct reasons, thats why I can't stop supporting a former female student of mine who is currently studying mech engine in a university.

The courses are so tedious and demands physical fitness and creative abilities and could be frustrating if you lack physical fitness. Its masculine in nature considering the practical experience though some women are rising up to face the tougher challenges. Some courses like Mechanical, Metmat and Civil engineering are still beyond their capacity. The word 'what a man can do, a woman can do likewise' is not applicable here in most cases.

CaptainECole:
that's not a good enough reason .. how can all of u not have passion for engineering? ?

ahn is it by force? How come most of u guys are interested in engineering

They r meant to b supportive to men and engineering courses doesn't provide them with such opportunities and privileges. they r better-of with social science and art course. their life span in engineering field is also short and at such, it makes no sense studying a course they know it's life span on their path is short. no b Dia fault sha.

They have engine-ophobia...
.
We can easily decipher the meaning.

They no wan make dia palms hard like sampaper

Well, that's not completely true. I forfeited my chemical engineering admission for another course in another school. Trust me, a part of me still regrets that decision. Engineering is coooool for both genders.

na wa. see spacebookers

Great article man. The reasons hold true for many, especially in the Nigerian setting.

Good thread. More women need to go into engineering because there is nothing that they cannot achieve.

CaptainECole:
Many of us in the science field and beyond know the imbalance happening in the STEM(Science Technology Engineering &Mathematics) courses.. gender imbalance!
... Many of us have noticed that their are few females in the areas,when you step into an average engineering department, or technology department, you could count the number of females in these courses as opposed to other female-populated courses like Business Admin,Medical courses, Arts and etcetera.
Which leads one to ask—Why?
..Well ponder no more, here are the obvious reasons why there are few females in STEM courses. Enjoy!
1.STEM courses are too long This is a known fact,to study a course like engineering,technology,one is required to spend at least 5 years in school, and this opposes females because an average female will wanna get married as an undergraduate and even have kids, and as a result, they'd rather go for shorter courses in the social sciences,arts or business.
2.STEM courses are male dominated :Obviously! These set of courses are usually male dominated, e.g. Engineering. So for a girl to apply for theses set of courses,it would mean breaking away from the social norm of "girls going for arts and boys for STEM"
. In fact,some girls in these departments usually feel obliged to dress masculine, avoid putting on earrings, so as to avoid feeling so feminine in the midst of males. A girl will rather identify with the social norm and not want to feel odd.
3.There are few female role-models in these fields :Convincing a female to go for STEM courses will be like convincing a lion to eat grass,because there ain't much female role models that one can look up to. This discourages an average female, outside the schools,its a male dominated industry too. So? That's the consequence!
4.STEM courses are expensive :Like it or not! when you're going for a Technology or Engineering course,you will be required to pay more! And for a lower middle-class economy like Nigeria's, it will be a struggle. I've seen many students struggling to pay fees,the stress of having to work and study at the same time in order to pay fees,buy textbooks, and other expenses connected with the courses is something so daunting. As a result many females are discouraged cuz they sure can't handle the stress! Men are tough na
5. Many girls are afraid of mathematics and calculations : This is something you discover right from your days in secondary school, a lotta girls shiver whenever they encounter mathematics or any calculations .. we boys use this as a pretext to get that fine girl in our class/department lol... Consequently, many girls will rather avoid calculative courses and the likes .. they'd rather go for the theory or management based courses.. it's not their fault na,its just so they will have time for themselves. ..


Today, there are more opportunities available to girls. Organisations such as the World Academy of Science, the Organization for Women in Science in the Developing World, L’Oreal for Women in Science, the Elsevier Foundation, and the British CouncilGhana all have awards, recognition and fellowships specifically for girls and women. The Visiola Foundationalso provides scholarships for girls to study STEM, and an annual week-long STEM Summer Camp to pique the interest of women in the STEM fields from an early age.



You can add yours

just passing

it's not their thing. Once u are in, gossip eliminated

Most engineers are theoretical engineers

Ah.. Its true but the no5 is false.. Girls dey finish us with maths that year, buh for physics,fmaths and chemistry na we guys.. Even some boys still fear maths that year

Wait until MathsChic sees this.

maduxs:
O

for Oshobeh

Females are too weak to deal with engines.

k

The babes that eventually do brave it tho are men...

To the female engineers out there, #HatsOff

Who tiff my jerry can?

Hian
What a reason!
Proudly an Engineer

xolocious:
They r meant to b supportive to men and engineering courses doesn't provide them with such opportunities and privileges. they r better-of with social science and art course. their life span in engineering field is also short and at such, it makes no sense studying a course they know it's life span on their path is short. no b Dia fault sha.