Ida Odinga has urged more girls to earnestly pursue subjects related to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses.
The world is rapidly changing, she noted, due to advanced innovations from different STEM fields.
This has robustly contributed to socio-economic growth and development and thus leads to job creation among the youth and women.
She was speaking when she officially opened Ida Odinga Secondary School located in Kibos-Kisumu East Sub County on Monday.
” Discard the notion that STEM subjects are difficult for female students. The courses will help you think critically and impart the much-needed problem-solving skills to navigate the world,” the spouse to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga added.
She expressed her satisfaction with the naming of the school after her and promised to sponsor four girls who are her namesake.
Mama Ida further said that the institution has stood as a beacon of hope, empowerment, and opportunities for young girls across the region.
She reiterated her commitment to assisting in turning the school into a centre for academic excellence and improving its general aesthetic appeal.
Some of the common science courses include Biology, Environmental Science, Chemistry, Physics, Biochemistry, and Astronomy.
In Engineering, disciplines like Aerospace, Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Computer, and Biomedical are taught, while Technology deals with Computer Science and Information Technology.
What Are The Statistics?
Despite the steady increase of girls undertaking STEM programs, this sharply contrasts with the high number of boys, thus resulting in a gender gap.
UNESCO’s Institute for Statistics (UIS) reports that 35 percent of girls and women are underrepresented in STEM courses worldwide.
In Kenya, several surveys have reported the high number of girls’ underrepresentation in STEM courses in institutions of higher learning (TVET, colleges, and universities).
According to Mbirianjau(2016), public universities have registered less than 30 percent of female students.
A study by DeKUT shows that of 36,495 students placed in STEM courses, females registered 36.8 percent (13,437), whereas males are 63.2 percent ( 23,058).
This disparity is also evident in TVET institutions, where 43.8 percent of 257,139 students were female and male-dominated at 60 percent.
“Specifically, the percentage of female students enrolled in science, mathematics, and engineering decreased to 27.9%, 38.1 %, and 22.9% in 2023,” DeKUT indicates.
Key contributory factors to the Gender Gap include Gender stereotypes and societal expectations, Workplace Environment, Family Roles, and Lack of Sensitization.
Accompanying Mama Ida, Kisumu Deputy Governor Dr. Mathews Owili remarked that critical infrastructure remains the building block of transformative change for our learners and academic centres.
“Our administration is committed to strengthening such initiatives. We will continue to support our learners with timely disbursement of bursaries and scholarships to bright and deserving students,” he assured.
Initially established as Kibos Mixed Secondary School, the ultra-modern building is comprised of 16 rooms and will be transformed into a fully fledged girls’ school.
It was built by Kisumu East MP Hon Shakeel Shabbir with funds from the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF).
Before the grand opening, Hon Shabbir also handed over a bus to the school.
“Stop engaging in Alcohol and Drug Abuse. It has ruined the lives of many promising careers,” Mama Ida concluded.
