Embuni Scientific Expeditions for Girls

By the end of 2023 only 42.6% (240,000) of the 560000 university students in Kenyan were female https://www-statista-com.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/stati....  The last report from the Commission for University Education (CUE 2018) in Kenya indicates that there is low enrolment of female students in university courses related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).    By 2018 proportion of female students was 39.3% in the agricultural & veterinary sciences, 36.4% in natural sciences & mathematics, and a only 21.9% in engineering, manufacturing & construction.  Nationally only five (5) students with physical disabilities were attending a university.   

Kenya is divided into 47 administrative units called counties. By 2018,  15 out of 47 counties were under represented in university education and were each contributing only 0.3 to 0.4% to the university student population.  The most affected were the counties in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL). Gender parity is yet to be achieved in  13 counties. Unfortunately these counties and the most affected by climate change which manifests as frequent drought. 

Ministry of Educations statistics indicate that  by 2020 of all the children enrolled in basic/primary education  48.9% were girls while the secondary/high school enrollment was 50.2%.  However these numbers do not translate to university enrolment which currently stands at 42.6 female students. Overall between 2016 and 2020, female students scored lower grades in the final high school examination.  For instance in 2020 out of the total number of students who attained the minimum entry grade into university, only 43.3% were female. 

Performance in science and mathematics is similar for both boys and girls at the primary school level.  However the gap begins to widen in high school and becomes wider at university level.  This widening gap eventually translates to the employment sector as well as the top management and decision making in the country. 

Our aim is to sustain the interest of disadvantaged secondary/high school  learners in science and mathematics to ensure they transit to university courses in the broader area of STEM.

Embuni Scientific expeditions targets female students,  students from disadvantaged communities and students with special needs, especially the physically challenged.

The expeditions will be two way. The students will be taken to institutions carrying out research, teaching, innovation and respective industries.  Science camps will be taken to the participating high schools to show case what is possible with science and also provide a forum for interaction. 

Mentorship programs starting at junior high school level to sustain the interest. 

Embuni Scientific expeditions targets female students,  students from disadvantaged communities and students with special needs, especially the physically challenged.

Students from the target groups are under represented in university education and in STEM careers in Kenya.  

The solution will sustain their interest in science and mathematics  and motivate them to pursue careers in STEM. 

The University of Embu is located in Embu in a largely rural area.  The staff are drawn from all over the country are of diverse ethnic, social and cultural backgrounds.

Embu is the headquarter of the former Eastern province, which comprised seven districts which are now seven counties in a country of 47 counties. The seven counties fall within the the ASAL region which is disadvantaged with regards to access to quality education. 

The team leader is female, grew up in a rural area is currently a science professor who has taught students from different backgrounds over the last 30 or so years. 

We are exploring an idea which if successful can applied to the whole country and elsewhere in the world. 

Financial barriers: At the moment we do not have financial capacity to carry out the expeditions. 

An application is therefore made for financing of the expeditions. 

Cultural barriers: 

The STEM careers are largely viewed in the part of the world as male jobs. We need to change the narrative so that girls and women  in general can pursue STEM courses and careers.

The physically challenged, are stigmatized and isolated by society hence do not have equally access to education , especially in STEM related areas.  We need help to ensure their inclusion. 

The expeditions will be taking the high schoolers to where science and technology is applied.  The students will be able to see for themselves what science can do for humanity. They will see 'science in action'

This will be different from the traditional approach where science and mathematics is taught to high school students in the classroom. 

The solution will catalyze interest in science and technology and therefore gradually increase the number of women studying STEM courses in the University and ultimately entering STEM careers at the national level. 

Once the revolution happens at the national level, it can be scaled to other countries. 

Scientific expeditions will expose students from disadvantaged groups including females, students from marginalized areas of the country and physically challenged groups to the possibility and reality of what science and technology can do. 

Increased interest and enrolment of females students, students from marginalized areas of the country and physically challenged  in STEM courses at the University level. 

As a result more women, persons from marginalized areas of the country and physically challenged persons will enter STEM careers. With time they will rise to the top and engage in decision making and policy around STEM issues, thus participate in shaping the future of the country and society.

Impact goals

1. The final impact of the scientific expeditions will be enhanced livelihoods of individuals who participate - SDG 8
2. Improved livelihoods will lead to poverty reduction - SDG 1
3. Enhanced ability to buy or produce food - SDG2
4. STEM education for target groups -SDG 4
5. Greater representation of women in STEM - SDG 5
6. A larger proportion of the population participating in industry and innovation-SDG 9

Indicators

• The ratio of female to male in STEM courses in the universities 
• The number of female students who graduate in STEM courses from the universities
• The mean score in mathematics and science of schools who will participate. 
• The number of female, marginalized  and physically challenged STEM graduates.

Scientific expeditions will leverage on the current two model used in extension services at the University of Embu where the services are taken to the community and the community comes to the University.

In addition modern technology will be used including but not limited to: 

• Virtual classrooms and virtual visits to other institutions
• SMS and other messaging services
• Other emerging relevant technologies

The University of Embu has 423 full time employees distributed as follows.

Teaching staff: Male 83 + Female 50 =  Total 133

Administrative staff: Male 146 + Female 144 = Total 290

The University of Embu has been in existence as a full fledged University for seven and half (7.5) years.  It was founded as a training college for agricultural works in 1947.

We have been working on the proposed solution for five years. 

The University of Embu is an equal opportunity employer.

Opportunities for employment are open to both men and women.  Effort has been made to employ staff from all parts of the country.

The workforce is therefore ethnically and culturally diverse.

The University of Embu provides services to the public through research, teaching and extension.  

The direct consumers of our services are undergraduate and postgraduate students.  The key partners are the government, research institutions and relevant industries. 

Research outputs are shared through journal publications and workshops.

Extension services to the communities are offered by taking the services to the communities and also brining the community stakeholders to the University. 

The University is a state corporation that is fully funded by the government of Kenya.  Specific research activities are funded by different national institutions and international donor agencies. 

Impact of the initiative will be evidenced by the increasing numbers of female students enrolling in STEM courses in Universities. 

Individual students, the country of Kenya and human society at large will benefit from this initiative. 

Long term additional grants and donations will be sought. 

The University of Embu has raised grants for different ongoing projects  shown in the table below.

Harvard University-Fogarty International Center for Global Healty

USD 45,000

United Nations Peace and Development Trust Fund (UNPDTF)

USD 498,071.28

Infectious Disease Institute (IDI, Makerere University

USD 39,873

Organization for

Women in Science for the Developing World

(OWSD)

USD 49, 997

Mozilla Foundation

USD 25,000

Personally I have won the following grants

1) Seeding labs 2016 Coinvestigator –Equipment valued at US $18,000, 
2) Kenya National research Fund 2017 Coinvestigator –  Ksh19,000,000 = then USD 190,000 for Doum palm research, 
3) Kenya National research Fund 2018 Principal investigator – Ksh 13,800,000 = then USD 138000 for Crotalaria research

 The three projects were successfully completed.