Girls have been been cited as potentially stable to do well in STEM courses after they emerged the best in Mathematics Contest that was conducted at the University of Embu.
The contest had brought together 25 schools in Embu County where both boys and girls wrestled for mathematics.
However, boys were outsmarted by girls with the female gender proving beyond expectations their mastery in mathematics with different techniques and formulae.
While addressing the press after the contest, Dr. Kawira Millien the Dean School of Pure and Applied Sciences at the University of Embu noted that girls are on the right trajectory of excelling in STEM courses after their exemplary performance in the contest.
“ I am impressed that the girls are coming up from the sample of schools in Embu County and I am confident they are on the right path of excelling in STEM courses,” she said.
She said the biggest responsibility they have is now to help the boys rise in Mathematics to ensure equity.
Dr Millien noted that 70% of the courses that students choose before joining university are mathematically bound and that there is need to consider emphasizing more on the importance of more seriousness in Mathematics.
“The boys are an important aspect of our learning and teaching and the indication of today, calls us to seriously get on the ground and get the boy child on board ," she said adding that an elaborate mechanisms has to be put in place by education stakeholders in the county so as to ensure that there is equity in the performance of mathematics for both girls and boys.
Further, she said the ability by girls to outshine the boys is a clear indication that the perception that mathematics was made for boys is an outdated narrative.
Dr. Samuel Ndirangu the Dean School of Agriculture who represented the Vice Chancellor Prof. Daniel Mugendi said that the Mathematics Contest will be a yearly contest and that it was necessitated by the need to promote Mathematics in various schools in Embu County because most students find it difficult to attain a minimum of C+ that is needed for them to pursue courses that mathematics is needed.
"Many students find it difficult to attain C+ in mathematics and when they come to pick courses we advice them to take course which mathematics requirement is minimal and that is why we want to create more interests in mathematics," he said.
Dr Dominic Kitavi who heads the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Embu noted that the Maths Contests would help many students have more interests in Mathematics.
He noted that many careers have been lost due to poor performance in Mathematics and there is need to have more mechanisms to salvage the lost careers .
He said there will annual Maths Contests in the institution to encourage student to take Mathematics with ease as any other subject.
Neema Nyakisio, a student from Kangaru Girls' secondary school who was declared the overall winner for the contest said that her love for Mathematics practice has made it possible for her to excel in the discipline.
She called on boys in various schools in Embu to embrace the subject and also to ensure that they do more practice so that they can excel in Mathematics.
Other schools that did well in the contest include All Saints Boys' high school, St Angelas Nguviu Girls' among others .
STORY By MWINGI TIMES CORRESPONDENT
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