SA must overcome the gender gap in maths and science

WOMEN hold up half the sky - so says an ancient Chinese proverb that has come to have a progressive meaning.

Most women seem to know that it means winning full emancipation, equality and recognition of their talents.

But, consider the global consequences of inequality: more women die in wars than men; more women live in poverty than men; and more women are unemployed than men.

When we use women's talents, we all benefit and we build a better world.

China's amazing economic success over the past 30 years did not come from hiding women's talents in the home. It came from bringing them out into the world of work.

South African women do not and did not have to learn from the Chinese. We have a long history of struggling for both political and economic emancipation.

South African women organised and rose to the political challenge of fighting for their freedom. Out of this triumphant organisation of resistance to oppression came the legendary slogan: "Wathint' abafazi, wathint' imbokodo" (you strike a woman, you strike a rock).

In union affairs, women focused on the most disadvantaged workers and fought vigorously for better conditions of work. In political organisations, women placed the gender agenda at the forefront of debate and action.

In the education sector women led and still lead the charge to equal access for all.

South Africa has achieved a general level of gender equality - in no small measure shaped by our constitution, 17 years old this year - that has only been accomplished in other countries after many decades of democracy.

For the first time we have large numbers of women in Parliament. For the first time we have a substantial number of women as school principals. For the first time we have women as vice-chancellors. For the first time we have women heading up state-owned enterprises.

And we have women as business executives, although not enough women are members of boards.

Despite progressive government policy, we have not yet created a comprehensive and systematic approach to structuring key impact programmes affecting the worst forms of gender inequality.

First, we have not fully addressed the participation and performance of girls and women in science and technology.

Women are not encouraged to be scientists. In fact, most women were actively discouraged by their parents, school and even their universities.

Girls and women are not supposed to be good at maths or science. And it shows in the studies of performance in maths and science in school. Boys do better, because they are encouraged to do so. And it often gets no better at university.

While girls are taking scientific and technical subjects in greater numbers, their participation rates are still much lower than men, at schools, colleges and universities.

It is important to note that this is not a specific South African problem, and that many developed countries have struggled with gender inequalities in the science field.

We want more women to become scientists.

Yet the peculiar thing is that while we now have a gender balance in favour of women at university, there is a postgraduate research balance in favour of men.

This is not something that I know about in the abstract. I am the mother of a daughter who has just completed her PhD in genetics. I am keenly aware of the challenges she faces as a woman in a man's world.

Second, access, success, and drop-out are gender specific.

Poverty is a major factor affecting the participation of both girls and boys in the education system.

The challenges of accessing quality education and remaining in educational institutions are greatest for poor people.

Girls have work commitments that can take them away from schooling. The effect of HIV on families often leaves girls with heavy family care burdens, and schoolgirl pregnancy can have a negative effect on girls' chances of continuing their education.

The higher dropout rate of boys at the secondary school level is an area of concern. It has serious knock-on effects at university level - a gender imbalance that is growing in South Africa. Already some girls are struggling to find life partners with a similar education level, a reversal of the situation barely 30 years ago.

Third, girls are the victims of gender-based violence at school, university and college.

Sexual harassment and violence can destroy the prospects for girls in education and in life.

While we do not always have reliable statistics, we cannot deny the violence and the damage. Speaking of which, we have all been shocked by the revelations of the recent report into the condition of student accommodation at and around our universities.

Fourth, curriculum responsiveness and pedagogy is a gender issue.

Although the school curriculum includes a Life Orientation curriculum that addresses some important issues relating to gender, very little support has been given to addressing gender equity in the curricula of schools or universities.

The focus should be on teaching approaches and learning materials being gender sensitive, as well as on teaching young people to be gender-responsive and gender-aware.

We all need mentors but women perhaps need mentoring of a special kind at university in the sciences.

We need interventions in favour of developing women in research, not only for its own sake but also to compensate for women's dual careers at home and work.

•  Pandor is Minister of Science and Technology. This is an edited version of a speech delivered at an international Women's Day celebration event in Cape Town yesterday