The Ministry of Education in conjunction with UNESCO will broadcast mentorship programme on Basic and Applied Sciences to all students for the next four months.
Accomplished professionals in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) will deliver a series of lectures to students through Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) television and Radio stations and community radio stations every Saturday between 10.am and 10.30am.
The objective of the programme is to keep students connected to STEM in the face of COVID-19 while inspiring their young minds through exposure to the beauty and power of science.
Programme Specialist UNESCO Dr. Alice Ochanda said that the mentorship lectures will give insights to the students on the implications of Science and mathematics in their lives and career opportunities.
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Dr. Ochanda said that UNESCO had lined up experts in basic Sciences uch as Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics to explain the role the disciplines play life and modern civilization to the students.
“Girls shy away from STEM subjects because they are socialized to be believed that they are the preserve of men,” Dr. Ochanda said, saying this led to the low participation of girls in STEM.
She said the programme is meant to bring them back to STEM and STEM orientated careers.
She said the programme, which will also feature applied Sciences needed in mining, Green and Blue Economy, will also benefit male students.
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The programme will reach over 10,000,000 secondary and primary school learners irrespective of their gender with information on STEM education and its importance in their day-to-day lives;
The Ministry, jointly with UNESCO has, for the last five years, been supporting STEM mentorship camps for girls where 2,600 girls in 191secondary schools in 42 counties have been mentored.
The programme aims at sustaining the interest of students in STEM by linking them with role models in the STEM professionals through online interactions and continuous access to mentorship services from STEM role models through the call a stem mentor platform.
Dr. Ochanda said that the programme also provides students with life and survival skills to enable them overcome the gender stereo types and negative masculinities that prohibit them from exploiting their full potential in the various STEM subjects among others.
