Makerere study backs affirmative action for female STEM students
The improvement was attributed to a more balanced classroom environment, which enhances interaction, competition, collaboration and overall learning.
Edward Bbaale, Principal of the College of Business and Management Studies, addresses stakeholders during the STEM research dissemination event. (Photo by Derrick Muduku)
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According to findings from Makerere University, increased enrolment of women has contributed to an overall improvement in the quality of education, with a 0.30 standard deviation rise in Grade Point Average (GPA).
The improvement was attributed to a more balanced classroom environment, which enhances interaction, competition, collaboration and overall learning.
The findings were revealed during a research dissemination event on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields at Makerere University on September 14, 2026.
Makerere University passed its STEM policy in 2019, introducing a 60 to 40% enrolment ratio for men and women, respectively, in courses ranging from technology, natural sciences, health, engineering and veterinary medicine, among others. The policy aimed to encourage more female learners to take up such courses.
In the labour market, the research found that men who accessed Makerere generally earned more and found employment more easily, while women gained no labour-market advantage from the scholarship alone.
The research also found that enrolling girls through slightly lower entry points than their male counterparts did not compromise their academic performance.
Edward Bbaale, the principal of the College of Business and Management Sciences, highlighted the continued impact of stereotypes on women's entry into the labour market, particularly in engineering.
He pointed out that some of the challenges female learners face when taking up these courses arise much earlier in their lives, particularly when they have to choose physics as a subject.
Community is key
Ruth Nsibirano, the director of the Institute of Gender and Development Studies, noted that the challenges affecting girls are broader, with the home environment playing a key role in finding appropriate solutions to support them.
“We should not only look at it from the perspective of these girls who get enrolled in STEM; think about the community perception of the girl who thinks there is little value for her in education. How about her parents, who probably didn’t go far in education and are looking to prepare her for marriage,” she narrated.