WOMEN IN THE SCIENCE WORLD
Apr 21, 2009
WE recently published an article about the majority of girls failing sciences and maths compared to the boys. Critics worried that the girls were perhaps receiving second hand treatment from the teachers, while others felt there are no role models to insp
WE recently published an article about the majority of girls failing sciences and maths compared to the boys. Critics worried that the girls were perhaps receiving second hand treatment from the teachers, while others felt there are no role models to inspire these girls. Yet, there are those women who beat the odds and excelled. Rehema Aanyu sought their views.
Dr. Angelina Kakooza, pediatrician and lecturer for 16 years at Makerere University School of Medicine:
There is a preconceived idea that sciences are a no-go area for women probably because it is a male dominated field. It is also falsely believed that compared to girls, boys tend to communicate better in sciences and grasping concepts faster. Girls fear sciences because they are told it is hard, tough and only boys can handle them.
What we need is for girls to assert themselves and change their attitude. Sciences are simple. Girls should be open minded. We also need to have females in sciences brought out and be celebrated to promote women in that area which would inspire girls into pursuing sciences. My mother, Dr. Teresa Kakooza, is a scientist and I believe genes had a role to play in my case. We both excelled in mathematics. She was my role model and she mentored me into studying and loving sciences.
Dr. Sophy Musana, science specialist in plant breeding and genetics and research officer NARO:
Brain-wise there is no difference between girls and boys except that right from an early age, boys are encouraged to take sciences.
When a young boy makes a car or tampers with a fuse, the parents will praise him, but if a girl does the same, she is not treated the same way. Yet, each time she does something “artistic†it is explained in terms of gender.
For girls to excel, they need to be given career guidance right from S.1 so that they are well informed when they make subject choices. Mothers should raise their children with high self-esteem.
I grew up with my two elder brothers and we always competed in academics. We all pursued sciences so when I reached O’level, they gave me their notes, encouraged and helped me a lot. I always beat the boys.
At university, plant breeding and genetics was believed to be the hardest course, but I took it on and excelled because I believed in myself and had the support from my family, teachers and friends.
Dr. Annuciate Nakiganda, science specialist in Livestock economics and research officer NARO:
Sciences become difficult when one has gone to a very poor school with no science laboratory, equipment or even books?
If girls and boys are given the same opportunities as boys, I do not see why they do not perform better. Female scientists should visit schools and encourage these young girls to take sciences.
My parents were peasants and I did not have any role models. I just performed well in sciences than I did in arts which is why I took them at A’level.
Jean Kandugomu, mathematics teacher at Nabisunsa Girls’ School. She has been teaching for 23 years:
Girls’ poor performance in sciences cannot be based on the lack of role models. Don’t we have female engineers, doctors, architects? The gap between teachers and students has to be removed. Teachers should understand and accept that sometimes students know more than we do because of the changing times. It all starts with the individual otherwise all the other efforts will be useless. Personally, I never liked arts. My history teacher discouraged me when I failed his test one day. He drew eyes and tears in the 0% and I felt very bad. I wanted to cry.
Norah Zawedde Kasolo, physics and chemistry teacher at Lubiri High School:
Girls take themselves to be the weaker sex. They come to secondary with a belief that sciences are for boys. And again when girls reach secondary, they are at the adolescent stage, like boys, but girls easily get distracted by boyfriends, peer pressure and even hormones which negatively affect their studies. And yet at this same level, boys tend to concentrate more on their studies.
This is perhaps why they excel more than the girls.
In the school I went to, we never had a science teacher right up to the time I was in S.3. Our first science teacher was Mrs. Mutoni. She was a good teacher and I admired her greatly. She is the one who attracted me to sciences.
Dr. Jolly Kabirizi, forage scientist and senior research officer National Livestock Research Institute:
I think a number of teachers discourage girls.They tend to look at girls as the weaker sex.
My daughter was good at sciences and it was through hard work that she attained these good grades. I was deeply hurt, however, when she registered for Arts at A’ level because her teacher had advised her to. Why? Because he thought she was best suited for arts. I raised my daughter with a belief that she could achieve each and everything she set her mind on. And I think if this happened to my daughter then I think it is happening to a number of girls. I excelled at sciences because I had a positive attitude towards sciences and I was hard working.
Dr. Angelina Kakooza, pediatrician and lecturer for 16 years at Makerere University School of Medicine:
There is a preconceived idea that sciences are a no-go area for women probably because it is a male dominated field. It is also falsely believed that compared to girls, boys tend to communicate better in sciences and grasping concepts faster. Girls fear sciences because they are told it is hard, tough and only boys can handle them.
What we need is for girls to assert themselves and change their attitude. Sciences are simple. Girls should be open minded. We also need to have females in sciences brought out and be celebrated to promote women in that area which would inspire girls into pursuing sciences. My mother, Dr. Teresa Kakooza, is a scientist and I believe genes had a role to play in my case. We both excelled in mathematics. She was my role model and she mentored me into studying and loving sciences.
Dr. Sophy Musana, science specialist in plant breeding and genetics and research officer NARO:
Brain-wise there is no difference between girls and boys except that right from an early age, boys are encouraged to take sciences.
When a young boy makes a car or tampers with a fuse, the parents will praise him, but if a girl does the same, she is not treated the same way. Yet, each time she does something “artistic†it is explained in terms of gender.
For girls to excel, they need to be given career guidance right from S.1 so that they are well informed when they make subject choices. Mothers should raise their children with high self-esteem.
I grew up with my two elder brothers and we always competed in academics. We all pursued sciences so when I reached O’level, they gave me their notes, encouraged and helped me a lot. I always beat the boys.
At university, plant breeding and genetics was believed to be the hardest course, but I took it on and excelled because I believed in myself and had the support from my family, teachers and friends.
Dr. Annuciate Nakiganda, science specialist in Livestock economics and research officer NARO:
Sciences become difficult when one has gone to a very poor school with no science laboratory, equipment or even books?
If girls and boys are given the same opportunities as boys, I do not see why they do not perform better. Female scientists should visit schools and encourage these young girls to take sciences.
My parents were peasants and I did not have any role models. I just performed well in sciences than I did in arts which is why I took them at A’level.
Jean Kandugomu, mathematics teacher at Nabisunsa Girls’ School. She has been teaching for 23 years:
Girls’ poor performance in sciences cannot be based on the lack of role models. Don’t we have female engineers, doctors, architects? The gap between teachers and students has to be removed. Teachers should understand and accept that sometimes students know more than we do because of the changing times. It all starts with the individual otherwise all the other efforts will be useless. Personally, I never liked arts. My history teacher discouraged me when I failed his test one day. He drew eyes and tears in the 0% and I felt very bad. I wanted to cry.
Norah Zawedde Kasolo, physics and chemistry teacher at Lubiri High School:
Girls take themselves to be the weaker sex. They come to secondary with a belief that sciences are for boys. And again when girls reach secondary, they are at the adolescent stage, like boys, but girls easily get distracted by boyfriends, peer pressure and even hormones which negatively affect their studies. And yet at this same level, boys tend to concentrate more on their studies.
This is perhaps why they excel more than the girls.
In the school I went to, we never had a science teacher right up to the time I was in S.3. Our first science teacher was Mrs. Mutoni. She was a good teacher and I admired her greatly. She is the one who attracted me to sciences.
Dr. Jolly Kabirizi, forage scientist and senior research officer National Livestock Research Institute:
I think a number of teachers discourage girls.They tend to look at girls as the weaker sex.
My daughter was good at sciences and it was through hard work that she attained these good grades. I was deeply hurt, however, when she registered for Arts at A’ level because her teacher had advised her to. Why? Because he thought she was best suited for arts. I raised my daughter with a belief that she could achieve each and everything she set her mind on. And I think if this happened to my daughter then I think it is happening to a number of girls. I excelled at sciences because I had a positive attitude towards sciences and I was hard working.