STEM Education defines education and capacity building in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics based subjects. STEM education plays a central role in contemporary society, with the potential to improve lives in a multitude of ways and advance national development. Access to the fruits of science at the individual and collective levels, however, lies primarily with those endowed with scientific knowledge and skills. Increasingly, those with the greatest understanding of science and technology have access to the best information, opportunities and jobs around the world
All over the world, from free and advanced societies to once “tagged” conservative societies, more women are being encouraged and supported to take on these subjects.It has been a convention and norm over the years to relegate or ostracize women from male dominated professions and careers to less rigorous careers especially in stereotyped societies with cultural biases like ours in Nigeria, with a flashlight on the North-eastern, North-Central, and North-Western Nigeria. Private/Government/Family institutions pay less focus and investment in women as they are seen to be home-makers and domestic helpers. The result of this has led to more pressure on the male counterpart, the immediate community as well as the government.
The world has changed within the blink of an eye and now moving at astronomical and exponential speeds. Once conservative and stereotypic societies are having a paradigm shift and embracing Science and Technology than ever before. More attention is moving towards huge investments in women getting involved in Science and Technology based career which is seen as a male dominated field.The success and wellbeing of a society and community is dependent on the success of each member of the family.
Nigeria with a huge population of over 180 million out of which 69 million are women and girls; their exclusion from the generation and application of scientific knowledge represents a tremendous waste of human potential. The country will serve itself best by Individuals, families, corporate bodies and Government making STEM education a top priority as well as invest greatly in young girls. These will serve as a gradual step towards making our immediate society and community prosperous as each individual (male or female becomes a contributor to our local economy). However, Nigerians are beginning to point to role models that have broken cultural barriers like (Fatima Abba Gwadabe as the first commercial Pilot from Kano state, Ruqayya Suleiman also first female pilot from Katsina State, Salamat Aliyu, Nigeria and West Africa’s first female Neurosurgeon from Kogi state)
They have made giant strides in STEM based professions, impacted on their immediate family as a support, economic contributor to their immediate community and role model to young girls who looks up to a hero.
More initiatives should be introduced to support young girls in taking up STEM subjects and careers include STEM Mentorship programs, Showcasing female role models (“If I can do it, you can also do it”), More Scholarships and Funding Opportunities, Awards, recognition and Fellowships amongst others.
Quadrev Fasaha Hub is playing its role in engaging girls at the early primary and junior secondary when attitudes about learning are formed through its Quadrev creative computing outreach program, Quadrev Girls Stem education program, Mentorship programs and Yearly boot campsQuadrev Fasahar High impact Internship program in Computing - Software Development-Applications, Robotics, Embedded Systems, and Electronics. This isto inspire the next generation of girls/women early enough to take up science & technology based careers in Biotechnology, Computer programming, Big Data Analytics, Mechatronics, Medical engineering and Medicine. You can read more on our programs at www.quadrev.com/creativecomputingprogram. or enrol your kids to participate in our August Creative Computing Boot Camp in Kano send an email to (info@quadrev.com)
Ahmad Aminu Idris
Lead, Technical Trainer at (Quadrev creative Computing Outreach Programs)