Girls in STEM

Building confidence, self-esteem and resilience to reduce barriers to science, technology, engineering and maths for adolescent girls in Ethiopian secondary schools.

STEM induction Project

The STEM Induction Project  increases skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) for adolescent learners, especially girls, in rural Ethiopian schools. Delivered by secondary school science teachers trained by Link, activities extracurricular course are fun, relevant to girls’ lives, build social emotional skills, and encourage their transition to the next grade

Key Facts

  • 130 science teachers trained
  • 7,044 girls and boys reached
  • Participating learners have expressed less ‘fear’ of STEM subjects and many have selected natural science in Grade 11 showing increased confidence and motivation to study STEM
  • 8 innovations created such as a light bulb using local materials, a ventilator and a juice machine

Key Activities:

  • The curriculum is designed to be creative and relevant to show learners how STEM skills and knowledge can help solve current problems faced by the communities they live in
  • Activities that embed Social Emotional Learning (SEL) skills, and STEM concepts are delivered with the intention of building girls’ confidence through group work and classroom presentations
  • Female Ethiopian STEM role models are shared throughout the course so girls can see themselves reflected in the STEM world.

“In this school, female students are now more likely than male students to receive an excellent grade in maths” School Director