Promoting women’s participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) can only be beneficial considering that women are more than 50% of the Mauritian population. This study aimed at analysing the relationship between gender and STEM education in Mauritius over the last six years. Gender gaps in STEM enrolment and in professional aspirations of students were assessed both at secondary and tertiary levels. Factors influencing girls to pursue higher studies were identified. The methodology used consisted of surveys and interviews for quantitative and qualitative assessments respectively. Female enrolment exceeded 50% at both secondary and tertiary level during the study period. However, a strong gendered pattern appeared in the STEM student population in both secondary and tertiary levels. The subject distribution for girls at O and A levels were very low in hard core sciences such as Physics, Computer Studies and Design and Technology. At tertiary level, the field distribution for girls was low for Engineering and Information Technology. A thorough evaluation of gender gaps at doctoral level was also undertaken. The percentage of male enrolment at doctoral level has been higher than female enrolment. The gender gap is more striking in STEM fields of study. Out of 16% of doctoral students opt for STEM, only 5% are accounted for by female students. The importance of family support was also highlighted in the professional career of women interviewed. It is recommended that the gender gap in STEM be addressed using a holistic approach with the following partners: Government, Industry, Society, Family and Teachers.
Keywords
STEM,Secondary and Tertiary Education,gender,female participation
Language
English
Publisher
Mauritius Research and Innovation Council
Content Classification
Journal Article
Funding Agency(ies)
Mauritius Research and Innovation Council
Note/Remarks
Conference Paper presented at the 10th International Conference on Science, Mathematics & Technology Education 2019, Mauritius Institute of Education (MIE), Reduit, Mauritius (6-9 November 2019)