Social Influence on the Enrollment of Female Students in Physics in Ugandan Educational Institutions

Abstract

Uganda has nine operational public universities offering degrees in sciences including physics. Only four of these universities offer graduate-level physics degrees. In this paper, we examine the gender gap in enrollment of students in physics over the past five years, which later translates into occupations in physics and STEM fields in general in Uganda. Generally, the total number of students studying physics is low compared to those studying other subjects, and very few of these physics students are female. Likewise the number of female academic staff is very low, and even these few have low qualifications compared to their male counterparts. The factors influencing gender disparity in physics at universities examined include gender roles, social perception, and gender-irresponsive pedagogical approaches. The current ongoing government interventions and other strategies that can be employed to narrow the physics gender gap highlighted are reviewing of curriculum to make it more gender responsive, increasing opportunities in physics and mindset change of the teachers and the local communities.