Helpline Foundation Tasks Girls to Embrace Science, Technology

Olawale Ajimotokan

The Helpline Foundation has tasked girls and women to embrace science education and technology.

The foundation made the appeal in Abuja in partnership with Make a Difference for the Needy Foundation and Association of Wives of Traditional Rulers in FCT in commemoration of this year’s International Day of Girls and Women in Science.

The event was designed to create awareness and serve as an interactive session for school girls and women about the importance of science education.

The founder of Helpline Foundation, Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, equally called on teachers to pay special attention while teaching the girl-child to entice them into science education.

Ahmadu, who spoke through the foundation’s Coordinator on Special Programme, Onoja Arome Godwin, noted that a significant gender gap persisted throughout the years at all levels of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines globally.

She stressed the need for donor agencies to maintain gender equality and inclusiveness in grant-giving and scholarships so that girls and women can maximise their potential in science.

She added that even though women have made tremendous progress towards increasing their participation in higher education, they are still under-represented in the STEM fields.