Lagos – Mrs. Martha Alade, the President of the Women in Technology in Nigeria (WITIN), has urged the girl-child to take up careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
This is contained in a statement signed by Alade in Lagos.
She said that considering a career in STEM would ensure that the young female brightened her future, as well as that of Nigeria.
The president said that in order to encourage girls in the career of STEM, WITIN held career fair, which was also aimed at marking the ‘International Girls in ICT Day’.
According to her, the event brought together over 100 girls from several secondary schools in Lagos State, with an exposition of the various career options available in the STEM field.
She said that a good percentage of girls were not going into science and engineering because they had no idea of the options available in the fields.
Over 40 different career options in ICT alone are expounded in the fair.
Alade stressed the need to have more girls in STEM, as there was huge gender parity in most technology companies.
“Research has shown that companies with a more balanced workforce with women on board do better; their products will satisfy the needs of consumers more.
“As long as users of technologies remain diverse, producers and inventors of technology must have diverse and balanced teams of males and females. This diversity can only be attained if girls begin to consider careers in STEM.
“Early interventions will enable girls to understand that limitless opportunities abound for them if they leveraged on careers available in the field,” she said.
Alade said that globally, there was high rate of women dropout in the STEM field; however, WITIN remained committed, with its partners, to reduce the female gender STEM leaky pipeline.
The WITIN President said that the world today was controlled by technology, as there was hardly any profession that did not have ICT components.
According to her, definitely, Information Technology (IT) jobs are well paying; full of prospects and ubiquitously suitable for women.
Mrs Iyabo Osifeso, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Education, District VI, commended WITIN’s effort in bridging the gender digital divide in the state.
Osifeso noted WITIN’s interventions in the areas of training of teachers in the district and equipping girls with technology.
She commended the Intel®, ‘’She Will Connect’’ Initiative, which had greatly improved the digital literacy skills and positively impacted the lives of the teachers and about 2,000 girls who participated in her district, also implemented by WITIN.
‘’Our girls, through this programme, now understand how to positively use technology,’’ the Permanent Secretary said.
Since 2012, WITIN has celebrated the Girls in ICT Day annually.
