Investing in women as drivers of growth: A gender-based assessment of the Science, Technology and Innovation ecosystem in Uganda

Abstract

The Uganda Science Education Policy of 2005 made the study of Physics and Chemistry compulsory for O-Level secondary school students in addition to Biology, English, Mathematics. males and females are represented in science courses at  early ages of school, the representation of women in science  reduces  increasing levels of education and professional responsibility. Enrolments in sciences at upper secondary school level constitute only about 20% of the total enrolments.  16% boys and 14%   girls completing primary school got to attend secondary school. Girls constituted 44% of enrolments at secondary level, 25% in post O-level institutions ,35% in tertiary level institutions in 2000. The proportion of girls  increased to 46% in secondary, 41% in post O-level and 44% in tertiary institutions between 2012 & 2016. The immensely wide gender gap in BTVET education  existed  2006 (averaging 75% for male & 25% for female) was narrowed down to 56% for boys and 44%  girls thereafter. Women enrolment at university level increased from 23% in 1989 to 35% between 1999 and 2001; 41% in 2002 and 57% in 2005; thereafter decreasing to 31% in 2011 before rising again to an average of 44% between 2012 and 2016. The
science preference policy  partially blamed for shattering girls’ hopes for higher education. Before the policy, about 37% of government merit scholarships to university were awarded to women. Admission lists of government sponsored students to public institutions of higher learning showed declines in female students admitted on merit –29% in 2007 rising to 42% in 2008