Towards an Inclusive Stem Education in Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Authors

  • A. Y. K. Agyemang
  • V. Osei-Himah
  • J. A. Samari
  • M. Owusu
  • T. K. Mensah
  • F. Owusu Ansah
  • T. Y. Amuda
  • Y. R. Osei
  • A. M. Naah
  • L. Opoku Acheampong

Keywords:

STEM, Gender Equality, Women Empowerment, Gender, Equity and Diversity

Abstract

Education, the world over, is striving to meet the human right principle enshrined in the quest to provide equal opportunities for women and men, girls and boys as well as feminine and masculine individuals that will lead to a total inclusive and healthy society. Gender connotes one’s fundamental sense of self and includes norms, behaviors and roles associated with being a woman, man, girl or boy as well as interactions with each other. Long-standing biases and gender stereotypes are steering girls and women away from STEM-related fields, which means that a large pool of potential skills that could contribute to economic development remain untapped. This article reviews the gender policy in the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology against its efforts at balancing the gender in STEM education mandate and proposing a model that could enhance and consolidate the gains attained in pushing on its mandate. Gender in Education policy for the tertiary level aims to align with, and build on, the 2017 Gender in Education policy for the pre-tertiary level. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology has done its bit to attract all forms of students and gender, including international students to as it were, find solutions to the raised issues. Even though the policy has given the road map for this, it has still not fully realized the intended purpose to bridging the gender gap in STEM and all other areas. The proposed gender model is hinged on five wheels: Administration, Lecturers, Students, Physical Education and Community of Practice. These wheels, we propose, must work concurrently to overcome vexatious stereotypes and cultural inhibitions.

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Published

2021-11-22

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Section

Articles