Lisa Isaacs
city schoolgirls will have the opportunity to take part in the launch of a satellite next year through a private sector initiative encouraging their involvement in the fields of science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem).
The Young Women In Stem Programme, launched yesterday, aims to encourage high school girls to get involved in male-dominated fields, with the goal of helping to build a satellite and the technology carried on board. The satellite will be launched in 2016.
The programme is created by MEDO, an organisation which assists micro and small enterprises grow and connect with large businesses, in collaboration with Morehead State University in the US and sponsored by Isuzu Trucks.
About 20 girls with a keen interest in maths and science from schools around Cape Town were invited to the launch. They created colourful mini robots, or jiggybots, made to vibrate and dance on across their tables.
Manyano High School pupil Siyamemkela Magadla,17, said many girls in her neighbourhood of Khayelitsha believed maths and science were only for men.
“It’s the environments we come from, we only see guys who are successful, its rare you find a woman. If you come to town you see women driving smart cars, but where we come from, men have big houses and fancy cars.
“I enjoy science. Since I’m still young, I could do many degrees. Medicine or science, and maybe be a doctor one day,” she said.
Aakifah Arulandu, of Pelican Park High school, said maths and science were her favourite subjects.
“There is gender inequality. Many girls don’t believe in themselves. Girls at our school are into how they look. Not a lot of us are interested in physics and maths. Physics and pure maths is difficult. But if you have an interest and apply yourself, you can be successful. I want to be a forensics investigator,” the 15-year-old said.
After MEDO partnered with enterprise development programmes, they identified a considerable shortage of technical skills required to fulfil the needs of businesses, company joint chief executive Judi Sandrock said.
“The intention of this programme is not for it to be a one-off. It is to be the start of at least a decade-long drive to inspire young people to enter the science and technical fields,” she said.
Sandrock said the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study – a cross national study that measures mathematics and science achievements – showed that out of 48 countries that participated, South Africa placed 47th for maths and 48th for science.
“Clearly there is work to be done and we hope to spearhead this to ensure the technical skills business and government will need in the decades to come,” she said.
Girls who are chosen will experience “spaceprep” half- day workshops, introducing them to electronics and the basics of practical science.
There will also be “spacetrek” week-long camps during school holidays, where the girls design experiments and test them in high-altitude weather balloons.
There will also be extended school holiday internships with MEDO to finalise their girls’ technology to be carried on the satellite.
“Women in Stem is a problem worldwide. Our problem is not only that we don’t have youth going into Stem, we also lack teachers strong enough in Stem because of the legacy of our previous government,” joint chief executive Bjarke Gotfredsen said.
He added that there was a bigger earning potential for the girls. It broadened their career opportunities and placed them in contention for bursaries.