Aiming to
inspire more Cebu students to be future-reading, Philippine Business for
Education (PBEd) introduced #STEMPower Our Girls last week.
Through a
program called #STEMPower Our Girls, more than one hundred 6th grade students
from public schools across the Philippines will receive specialized training,
and mentorship from the Philippines’ top women scientists, technology and
innovation drivers, and industry captains.
#STEMPower
Our Girls is a social impact program implemented by Philippine Business for
Education (PBEd) and communications firm Evident Communications -- in direct
response to the disparity between the number of men and women in Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics careers. It is funded by Investing in
Women, an initiative of the Australian government.
Global statistics, early intervention, and role model outreach
STEM
careers are considered the future of work and not having enough girls pursuing
the field can result to a unique set of economic challenges.
There are
a number of requisites to attracting more women in STEM: equal opportunities in
school and at work, encouragement from the immediate environment, having more
female role models, and greater technical and financial support for girls’ and
women’s STEM based aspirations.
“Globally,
only 30% of the STEM workforce are women and as we get to senior leadership
roles, we see fewer and fewer women. Many factors are behind this statistic and
they can be cultural, social, or economic. One such factor is the lack of women
role models,” said Love Basillote, Executive Director of PBEd.
According
to PBEd, middle school is where girls have a considerable level of interest in
STEM--but this interest diminishes as they enter the high school years. It is
even more challenging for girls when they are in an environment with reinforced
beliefs that STEM is only for boys.
PBEd,
Evident Communications, and Investing in Women will implement the #STEMPower
Our Girls program in three pilot areas: Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, and Cagayan
de Oro.
There are
three parts to this program: first, a partnership forum that gathers
stakeholders from schools in order to cascade the campaign details; second, a
career caravan that highlights possible STEM careers; third, the training
proper for the girls. The first partnership forum already took place in Manila
last July, to be followed by that of Cebu.
A total of
40 girls per pilot area will be chosen based on academic merit and proclaimed
interest in STEM. Success would be determined by the participants’ inclination
to enroll in a science high school or take a STEM-related college course.
Building a #STEMPowered community
Concurrent
to the implementation of the program in three major cities, the #STEMPower Our
Girls project also includes an advocacy communications component to expand the
beneficiaries of the #STEMPower Our
Girls dialogue to the national level through digital media and content.
“We think
it’s necessary for us to create an enabling and nurturing environment for girls
all over the Philippines to pursue STEM careers; we need parents and teachers
to support their aspirations.
We are all
committed to the creation and delivery of compelling content and storytelling
on social media and digital platformsto inspire young girls to apply to science
high schools and pursue careers in STEM ,” says Cecile Dominguez-Yujuico, CEO
of Evident Communications.
“Our goal
is that this advocacy reaches parents, teachers and the community of female
role models, who are equally important contributors to the educational and
career preferences of girls.
Through
the #STEMPower Our Girls program, we are committed to building a community of
supporters nationwide that will help Filipino girls reach their full potential
and become the country’s science and technology leaders of tomorrow.” - PR
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