On 14 February 2024, Commonwealth Alumni in Ghana attended a panel discussion on, ‘Strengthening Gender Equality in STEM Education in Ghana’. Alumni were joined by Alison Cairns, Policy Manager, Scholarships, Tertiary Education and Partnerships Department at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and experts representing tertiary education and gender institutions.
The event opened with welcome remarks delivered by Alison Cairns. She highlighted the importance of recognising the challenges women face in STEM fields and the role that everyone must play to create a fair environment. The panel topic and speakers were then introduced.
Panellists:
- Kwabena Takyi, Head of Compliance, Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC)
- Dr Griffith Selorm Klogo, Head of Examination, Kwame Nkrumah- Obuasi- Campus and Academic Coordinator, KNUST-USET Gambia Project
- Miriam Bafowaa Opoku, Assistant Programme Officer, Department of Gender, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection
- Eva Annan (2009 Commonwealth Shared Scholar), Faculty Registrar, Faculty of Science Education, University of Education
The panel discussed the importance and shortcomings of gender mainstreaming as it was currently implemented at an institutional not national level. Despite this, Dr. Griffith Selorm Klogo shared success at KNUST which had seen an increase in enrolment figures for women studying STEM subjects. Miriam Bafowaa Opoku also highlighted the impact of programmes run by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection aimed at improving gender parity in education.
Panellists concluded that the media could be better utilised to promote the achievements of women in STEM and role models. They also agreed that greater stakeholder involvement in the policymaking process and monitoring policy implementation would advance gender mainstreaming at the national level.
The panel discussion was followed by a Q&A session and networking reception.
