Girls turned into scientists

One of the challenges that  girls often  face in learning science  is lack of motivation towards learning science, They often lack sufficient information that can help them make the right choices towards those professions that have been dominated by their male counterparts. They also face gender stereotyping , this discourages them from loving science and to believe sciences are hard . This is in addition compounded by physiological challenges that at times  keep them  away from class especially  the menstrual cycle , when they lack sanitary pads. Some  are not educated sufficiently about how to handle the challenges associated with its onset others  totally have no access to sanitary pads.  Girls will be supported  access  mentors who can help them believe in themselves, supported to access materials to help them safely experience their menstruation and given    guidance , mentorship  and exposure to prepare them join  science based professions  

Girls uptake of science based professions tends to be low compared to boys.  yet if supported they can achieve as much as boys. 

 (Mugumya, 2004) as quoted by  Namatende-Sakwa says that the ability to pursue science subjects and career roles is considered a possibility for boys and men, who are perceived as “intelligent” and . Additionally, the society considers sciences too difficult for girls
(Nakkazi, 2011) The enrollment of girls into science subjects stood at 22 % (World Bank Publications, 1993 - Human services )  the publication attributes this to under representation even at lover secondary school levels.  on average 30 % of Ugandan Girls drop out of school because of lack of sanitary pads. in some areas the percentage are as high as 50%. This is  a substantial loss to the country's human resorce  

The solution is to provide girls with the required career guidance , motivation , exposure and role models to  help them develop confidence ,embrace  and persist through the process of  learning  sciences.  Role models  identified and contacted to volunteer to guide the girls towards making informed choices to consider taking science courses and eventually become  science based professionals.  A website where professional women scientists can upload their Cvs and be contacted to mentor individual of a team of girls towards a give profession.  They will also  mentor  girls by continuously interacting with them through  webinars, e conferencing or face to face sessions .  The online database will  provide a platform for  schools to link with others in other parts of the world with the aim of fostering girls interest in science through collaboration.  The  professional role models shall invite the girls to visit their offices where possible and work with them for a day or two and thus inspire them. The girls will also be equipped with the desired ICT skills to enable them seek for information using  resources like the internet. Training on issues related to menstruation carried out and girls supported to make  and even sell sanitary pads

 Over 5000 Girls in  20 secondary schools in Uganda  that are located in remote locations, norther and north western Uganda   , refugee camps and islands in the major Lakes of uganda where girls are less likely to be given information  about science and its importance.

A survey to fully understand the level of need shall be conducted to establish the baseline, eventually  this will lead to participatory solutions,

Girls through holiday and online IT camps  will document and archive their achievements by capturing videos and writing stories.    The IT trainings will also incorporate  entrepreneurial skills trainings. Out of school girls and child mothers will also be invited into the programme

The girls trained will also be groomed to become peer mentors  to act as change makers in their communities. The small businesses developed  will be provided with seed capital so that they can eventually become self sustaining.

School girls shall be encouraged to create innovations using science and to show case and market  them digitally   

Regional girls innovation centers will be built and girls will be able to come and  access training and learn various skills including sewing baking, mobile phone repair and crafts making

The solution focuses on increasing interest in science and enhancing acquisition of skills for   the girls  to appreciate how science can  solve their day today challenges  while at the same time earn them money. The products especially  sanitary pads shall be packaged , branded , advertised and marketed. Girls  will participate  in creating science based products  leading  to  self confident and ability  to  select science based courses at higher levels of education 

Girls in emergency situations   explore and harness their potential , skills  opportunities and eventually access  various science based professions that they would other wise wouldn't achieve 

Quite often interventions that are focused on improving performance for learners   end up  only targeting passing and not equipping learners with capabilities  and skills to survive in their communities after completing school, this is an integrated  approach that is geared towards increasing access to sciences but also  help in skilling  the girls and other youths.

The approach also takes care of building programme sustainability

The solution involves use of the internet as a tool to access and store information , serve as a tool for supporting teaching and learning. The internet will promote e commerce when utilised for advertising and marketing what the girls will have developed 

1.Enhancing students  learning experiences

2 Teaching in a digital age: How educators use technology to improve student learning

3.ICT in mass education systems to the development of innovation and entrepreneurial skills and knowledge among youth. ... the countries in the 2007 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS

4 Video innovations  in science for making sanitary pads

5, Prototype  hydro power

6.  Science innovations towards improved agriculture

Activities and inputs : learners especially girls are supported through motivational talks, creer information boards ,role model days , exposure trips , video, a day at a mentor's office, e mentorship and role modeling , training of teachers to offer science based career guidance, the girls are engaged in activities   that build confidence  through participating in science based innovations   that    nurture their ability to competitively enroll for science based courses . The girls are engaged actively into addressing the challenge of dropping out that is attributed to the onset of menstruation by actively participating in finding the solution by creating and making sanitary pads and other menstrual hygiene products , training teachers and students in harnessing ICT to get information and coordinate activities that promote the empowerment of girls to wards learning science  and ICT, advocacy for girls to embrace Technical and vocational courses that will make them more employable or employ themselves in future

Outputs :

Trained teachers in beneficiary schools and   school managers who are able to  practice inclusive programmes  , Learners who are trained with skills that enable them to apply and appreciate science , Lerners especially girls who are equipped with skills to create enterprises and thus earn revenue , Products that can be marketed for income  and to solve community challenges,  gender inclusive policies and practices  to enhance girls participation in science 

Outcomes and impact:

Improved performance in science for the girls, Girls applying and being admitted to science based professions , improved gender parity in accessing science based courses and professions  and a larger percentage of the workforce being constituted of girls and women. gender balanced science professions   and an increase in the number of female science teachers who can then inspire more girls to take science and ICT 

presently- reach  15000 learners 

in one year an extra 10,000

in 5 years   close to 50,000 learners shall have been supported with more than 50% girls  

1.  Establishing  school based science and ICT clubs that enhance participation of girls  in 100s of schools through scaling up and partnerships with other players and charities

2.  Creating an online portal where success stories , ideas  and  resources can be collaboratively developed and shared  including provision of a plat form for science professionals  who can mentor  learners especially girls into love and adoption of science 

3. Engagement of major players, politicians and government  to enact and implement   policies  that prioritise girls participation in science and  science professions  and provide resources that build resilience of the girls to transform into science professionals and entrepreneurs

A secretariat with 3 full time staff, 7 part time staff and a 9 member board   2-3 interns are engaged from time to time.  we work with a network of  150 teachers and laboratory staff who spearhead our activities on the ground in the schools and over 100 school managers who help in overseeing the activities in the beneficiary schools

Two of the 3 staff are professional teachers,  The Executive Secretary Lawrence Ssenkubuge is a professional teacher with a Bachelor’s Degree in science Education , MSC  Computing and Information systems and pursuing a distance learning course in M&E,   30 years work experience  16  of classroom teaching, 7  school management 7  in Education Development in Eastern and southern Africa and international  level  Under UNDP.  Headed a Millennium Development Goals  project under UNDP Malawi for 1 year  and  the  UN Millennium  Villages project  implemented by Millennium promise and the Columbia University, Millennium Promise Japan, Islamic Development Bank. Served as Team Leader  Uganda Millennium Villages Project II,  eventually partnered with government of Uganda to implement a 9.6 Million Dollar Rural integrated development Project (Education, Health, water, Agriculture, Business, Roads and infrastructure in  in SW Uganda from 2014-2016 supporting  close to 200,000 people.

William Wagaba the Programmes Manager has close to 10 years experience, A bachelor’s degree in Education ,a post graduate diploma in Public administration, Served the United Nations association of Uganda ,Entebbe handling services  and later  Coordinator  this project for  6 years. The tutorial team  has 5 teachers  each with experience of  an average of 30 years   with Ugandan secondary schools and youths. The Board  diverse in professional expertise and experience,   including academics , an  accountant, A lawyer  and 3 long serving  educators with one a former Commissioner in the Ministry of Education Uganda  One Board member is a youth who benefited from the project in its early stages in 2010.

• University of Kisubi- in service training of science Laboratory assistants and initial hosting of the  programme  coordination office 
• Ministry of Education and Sports-  for policy guidance and eventual programme sustainability
•  TOTAL- sponsored a students science based enterprise innovation show 
• National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC on advice regarding the  curriculum 
• TEACH A MAN TO FISH - training learners and teachers on Entrepreneurship skills and business development
•  Forum for African Women Educationists FAWE-bench marking the promoting girls science education
• Centenary Bank Uganda LTD- sponsored  part of the 2019 science innovations and enterprise national fair
• PEAS- promoting the USEP model in their schools
• Uganda Bio science information Centre , NARO - mentoring learners to innovate towards  agricultural production using science
• Uganda National Council for Science and Technology - providing advice to learners on intellectual property and patent  rights of their innovations
• Porticus Africa: Provided funding for piloting  this programme

Key resources : Major Donors , private sector and member school subscriptions and contributions, school business partnerships  sponsorships 

Key activities :

1.Teacher and school managers training on supporting learners to create science based innovations, Branding , packaging  and marketing 

2 Training  and mentoring students to use the science they learn to design and market solutions to challenges in their community  trough Entrepreneurial skills trainings 

3. Supporting learners to  develop the relevant 21st century skills  that they need to survive in the present day business world   these include team work and collaboration , public speech and communication , creative thinking  creativity, opportunity spotting, collaboration

4 Support learners to show case and patent their innovations so as to earn revenue while at the same time meet national quality standards  and ensure their property rights 

Key customers and beneficiaries: 

Learners sell their products ( e.g Liquid soap, paper bags, water pumps,  shoe polish,sanitary pads, briquettes , fortified food     to their schools  , parents whenever  visiting  the schools,another market for the products. The learners then use the proceeds to buy books and other scholastic needs 

the skills so accumulated are then used by the learners after leaving school to earn a living

The learners show case their products for purchase  by visitors to the school

the solutions are in response to day to day challenges  in the community, thus  local solutions to local challenges 

The innovations require big investments to manufacture or  scale or improve them hence the need for a bigger grant

The Uganda Science Education (USEP)plan to financial sustainability  is  looking at a combination of approaches, in the short term  we shall solicit for grants from donors, we shall market the model to stakeholders who can pay for it, these include  NGOs that are specializing in improving quality of outcomes at secondary schools, We are engaging Uganda   government  to consider contracting USEP to carry out training of teachers on best practices in teaching sciences. The Academic progress score card a learning  evaluation tool  authored by USEP shall be marketed to the government and  other players  and the revenue used to finance USEP's  activities. USEP also plans to solicit for funding to erect premises that will partly host its offices and partly rent out and the proceeds used to finance USEP's recurrent expenditure.

USEP is also working on a funding model which will involve USEP opening a  consultancy  arm whose earnings will help fund the recurrent expenditure.

The Scientific entrepreneurship approach  is planned to empower schools establish  science innovation based businesses  to sustain the model in the  beneficiary schools through income raised from the innovative projects.

In the long term USEP is planning to  seek funding  to start  innovation parks where the  schools shall market the science innovations based businesses . This will partly sustain the  science innovation project. 

The Ugandan population is made of close to 60% youths  who tend to complete school and are not able to find a job, nor do they have the appropriate skills to help them create job opportunities for themselves we seek to help them attain marketable skills so that they can start earning even if they are still in school or after graduation. Girls are young women tend to dropout of school  leading their marginalisation there is need to give them appropriate skills to help them fend for themselves and avoid being exploited

-teachers are the mentors and pace setters , training them on how they can nurture the learner is essential. the innovations so created can easily be  forgotten if transfer of skills is not done 

The innovations  centres shall help serve as showrooms  where learners can market the products, and serve as   learning  centers for even those youths that are out of school

The Learners shall also serve as peer mentors to interested  colleagues from  their own schools and the community

The partners can serve as expert  mentors to the learners. The board members will bring greater and wider expertise   help market the project and seek for additional resources while at the same time  providing oversight  

Solution technology will help us increase operational  efficiency and  support beneficiaries 

The M&E expertise will help inform the  future strategic planning and help in advocacy especially in Government and policy makers

Media and publicity support will help in scaling up and sharing the best practices world wide

1. The private sector foundation Uganda  has resources that can be used to build leners innovation skills especially towards technical subjects and professions

2. Local banks : these can provide business mentoring and provide micro loans to the graduates

3. Ministry of education and sports  can adopt the model and provide some resources towards its scaling up

4.NGOs  like UNHCR and other organisations that support refugees  to help adopt the model among the youths in emergency situations 

5. Telecommunication companies like MTN. Airtel and others  to provide digital platforms for  helping learners access connectivity and information that they may need online ,  they can also help in digital based marketing and to mentor learners in ICT skills

6 Total to support learning in communities adjacent to their oil exploration programme so that they can attain the skills they need to harness the oil industry

7. Airlines like  Emirates, Quarter, Brussels,  KLM whic can provide tickets to youths travelling to other parts of the worls during the planned lerner exchange programmes

The  programme is already active in refugee camps  but resources are a challenge. this prize will help our learners reach out to counterparts in refuge e situations share skills with them , the learners will serve as  change agents who can also help in psycho social recovery .  Refugees often need local solutions , this programme will entice them to innovate and create their own solutions to the prevailing challenges that they face.

Youths with special needs or who are vulnerable like girls and people with disabilities will be given special attention hence foster inclusive programming

Girls are often victims of gender constructed stereotyping where they are denied  chances because they are girls. The girls will be availed with opportunities to develop their digital skills through activities like the  ICT holiday camps,  They will also receive both e mentoring and face to face mentoring  from female role models , this will help inspire them.

 They will be given skills to develop their ability to do things like programming, Robotics and others that are often treated as no go for girls. 

A  website where the girls innovations, videos  and other innovations shall be uploaded so that their  voices are herd and issues affecting them eg. menstrual hygiene will be discussed 

a collaboration between girls in uganda and those in other parts of the world will be established  to enable them work with girls in other countries

Part of our activities is mentoring and inspiring the girls who are often branded by society as unable to learn and excel in science , this exposure  will help us inspire and nurture girls to do their very best. the proposed visit to General Motors will encourage the girls  choose Engineering and Technical fields

We shall also use this to build networks between girls in Uganda and those in institutions world wide who are  pursuing Engineering courses

 we shall also carry out mentorship camps during school holidays 

Illiteracy is a big challenge in Uganda  adult literacy programmes contain skilling and entrepreneurial   training but most are theoretical , opening the doors of this programme to these people will crete  literate citizens with a better life .

They will also be trained on some basic practices like banking , formation of  cooperatives  e commerce and  use of digital platforms like email which can help them market what they produce and empower them to access micro loans  or start  small businesses 

uganda  science education program needs to build capacity as an organisation to generate its own revenue and minimising on expenditure on things like rent . constructing  our own premises and  rent part of it to earn income can be helpful. supporting the proposed girls and women clubs to establish small scale industries  that will eventually help them to increase their income