Government at all levels have been urged to create the enabling environment that would encourage girls to participate actively in science courses and bridged the gap between the male counterpart.
Mr Koida Owate, Chairman, Chemical Society of Nigeria (CSN), Delta chapter made the call on Wednesday in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta.
Owate spoke with the newsmen on the sideline during the ‘International Union of Pure and Applied Chemists (IUPAC), 2024 Global Women’s Breakfast” held at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun.
The event was convened by the Women In Chemistry (WIC), Chemical Society of Nigeria (CSN), Delta chapter and had its theme as: “Catalyzing Diversity in Science”.
Owate said that the IUPAC was a yearly programme for Women in Chemistry adding that it was aimed at promoting the participation of women in Chemistry as a profession.
“Government as a strong stakeholder in developing the people can provide scholarship to female students that will want to study science courses from the secondary school to the university levels.
“Government can also create the enabling environment that will encourage the girls to study sciences by way of providing them with study aides like textbooks and others.
“Government can also create mentorship and understanding between the teachers and students. Students are more interested in the subjects taking by their preferred teachers,” he said.
Owate said that the CSN also had incentives to encourage the female in sciences.
According to him, the annual Awokoya Memorial Chemistry Competition was one of such incentive to encourage girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in the country.
“We have scholarships for those irrespective of gender that study Chemistry in the university.
“We also have incentives put in place to ensuring that we have more women in the field of Chemistry and other sciences to enable us to bridge the gap.
“We are trying to partner the Delta government to ensuring that we promote the study of sciences among women through scholarships and other incentives,” he said.
Earlier in his goodwill message, Prof. Rufus Sha’Ato, president of the CSN said that sciences was seen as an exclusive reserved for the men and urged the female folks to rise up to the challenges.
The keynote speaker, Dr Eniang Nkang frowned at the low enrollment of women in sciences and called for a change in the narrative.
“The attitude of low enrollment of women in science courses must change, that is the essence of this program,” Ntang said.
Dr Sunday Leonard who spoke on the topic: “Fostering resilience in research and innovation for women in STEM” identified cultural belief as a challenge to girls participation in sciences.
“The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs have submitted that there are about 69 million women and girls in Nigeria and their exclusion from the scientific world represents a tremendous waste of human capital.
“UNESCO figure also reveal women in minority amongst science researchers. In 121 countries evaluated, women make up 29 per cent of the science researchers and are grossly under-represented in every sector of STEM,” he said.
Leonard also said that the Royal Society of Chemistry data suggested that out of 10,023 members polled, only 31.6 per cent were female Chemists.
He said that catalytic strategies to enhance diversity included volunteerism from professional groups, role modelling and mentorship from accomplished professionals.
Leonard recommended that professional bodies like the CSN and the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) should offer scholarships to brilliant girls.
Another speaker, Mrs Ifeoma Chukwuogo in her presentation said that women’s entrepreneurship entailed the process of launching creative businesses.
Speaking on the topic: Developing an entrepreneurial mindset for women in Chemistry, Chukwuogo
noted that in many countries the value of entrepreneurship, it’s motivators and essential financial support have been overlooked.
She said that the characteristics of entrepreneurial thinkers included: self motivation, risk takers, problem solvers, resourcefulness and goal-oriented and amongst others.
“Entrepreneurial thinking enables individuals to take risks and embrace failures as part of the learning process. Thus you can build successes from any new opportunities.
“Entrepreneurial thinking is the guarantee ways to grow your business with the positive resources and growth inclusive,” she said.
Also, Mrs Toyin Gift who spoke on the topic: “women leading the way
in developing skills for the future of work” stressed the need to spend money wisely.
“If you are not smart with money, it will run away from you. It is important to know how to manage money.
“There is need to have good business knowledge. Businesses do not run themselves, they are run by people. They highest form of knowledge is inspiration while the lowest form is assumption,” Gift said.
In attendance were: female students drawn from the College of Education Secondary School, Warri, Challenge Secondary School, Warri, Our Ladies College, Warri and among others.
