Isn't there a trend in certain developing countries, e.g., in southeast asia, that there are more women than men going to university?

Dennis

Dennis Mazur

There may be. But how did they attain that? Can we draw lessons from such contexts where female participation is better or improving?

In Nigeria, the male are in majority especially in sciences and engineering related courses. the major reason is stereotype or the perceptions that some courses are strictly unsuitable or hazardous to female gender.

Thanks Kayonde; I agree. Is there any effort on the part of the government to change things? Regards,

In the university I teach there are more female students than male. \this could be because of the Christian values that may make it seem safe for female students.

My thinking is that the gender differentiation is cultural/ poverty issue. This is from the observation that well to do parents take their children to school irrespective of gender. So address the income bases and students will view subjects from their strengths rather than gender. In a good learning environment where education is meant to sharpen people's ability to think, reflect and wonder, there are females that will be good in mathematics, chemistry, physics just as their are male.

Thanks Rebecca. Your experience is very useful and applicable to contexts like Ethiopia where the participation of girls at tertiary level is below 40 percent despite the fact that women constitute an equal percentage with men when it comes to the general population.