icwes15 - challenges facing female engineering students in africa - our experience. presented by...

CHALLENGES FACING FEMALE ENGINEERING STUDENTS IN AFRICA-OUR EXPERIENCE

Nana Yaa Dufie Oti-Boateng1, Korkor Daah Agyente1, Peggy Oti-Boateng2 1Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana 2Technology Consultancy Centre, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana

KNUST

05/03/2023

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Challenges Facing FES ICWES15

BACKGROUND Engineering and science are the backbone to the

industrial and socio-economic development Even though women are about 50% of the

population in Africa In Ghana less than 30% university enrollments are

female Only 1.9% of the the total number of students are

women pursuing degrees in engineering. Female engineers make up 11% of the total

number of engineers in the USA and Australia China and Russia have the highest percentages

of women engineers i.e. 40% and 58% respectively

Unfortunately no African country can boast the same

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AIMS AND OBJECTIVESo The aim of this study was to find out the

reason for low participation of females in engineering by : o conducting a baseline survey to ascertain the

challenges of female engineering students in KNUST and

o create awareness about them so as to advocate for change

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METHODOLOGY The study was conducted on the campus of

KNUST, with a population of about 26,000 as at 2010

KNUST comprises of six colleges namely: College of Engineering, College of Health Sciences, College of Science, College of Agriculture and Institute of Renewable

Natural Resources, College of Architecture and Planning and College of Art and Social Sciences.

Pre-tested Questionnaires were administered to students (50FES, 50NFES and MES&MES)

Statistics from colleges were analysed to determine trends with baseline study

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RESULTS

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ENROLMENT AT KNUSTMales and females in colleges 08/09

Gender-based enrolment into CoE over 4 years

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DEMOGRAPHY

Percentage of students living in the 10 regions of Ghana

Percentage of FES living in the various regions

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FEMALES IN VARIOUS ENGINEERING DISCIPLINES AT KNUST 05/03/2023

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ETHNICITY

Akan

Dagaab

aEw

e

Ga/Adan

gbe

Nzema

Yorub

aBa

sare

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

No. o

f stu

dent

s (%

)

Percentages of ethnic groups students come from

Percentages of Ethnic groups FES come from

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PERCEPTIONS OF FES 05/03/2023

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OUTLOOK ON ENGINEERING

Percentages of recommendations

Percentages of how much FES enjoy engineering

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EXPERIENCES OF FES

Best Experience of FES

Worst experiences of FES

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ADVISORS OF FES TO PURSUE ENGINEERING 05/03/2023

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CONCLUSION Engineering curriculum needs revamping to

make it more interesting, relevant, engendered, interactive and more practical

General education of the public on engineering and its importance with emphasis on female engineers and their contributions should be done

Scholarships should also be instituted to cater for the needs of needy but brilliant girls whose dreams are to become engineers.

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THANK YOU

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icwes15 - challenges facing female engineering students in africa - our experience. presented by...

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