Presentation of the results of Study 1: Barriers to Female Participation in STEM post-secondary programs February, 2014

Methodology Review of Georgia’s data from international tests Literature review of international and Georgian practice Review of Georgia’s data from MoES, NAEC, EMIS, EQE, SSA & GeoStat Focus groups discussions with school students from 9 th -12 th grades Survey of secondary school students, teachers and parents only 9 th & 12 th grades Survey of TVET students and faculty Survey of university students and faculty Survey of employers

Main Message 1: Female STEM talent and skills are systematically lost as girls progress through the education system Girls equal or outperform boys on various tests of science and math. Grade 4 TIMSS Grade 8 TIMSS Grade 9 Age 15 PISA Grade 12 CAT But do not continue into STEM fields at TVET or university at the same rate as boys do

Differences in score between girls and boys in mathematics No statistically significant differences between girls and boys in mathematics

Differences in score between girls and boys in science Girls outperforming boys in science

Eighth grade students’ achievement scores in STEM subjects by gender, TIMMS 2011 Achievement average score by gender * The difference between gender groups in these subjects is statistically significant (F)

CAT – COMPUTER ADAPTIVE TEST Achievement average score by gender * The difference is statistically significant (Sig=.000)

Subjects2011/F2011/M2012/F2012/M Mathematics Biology Chemistry Physics Geography N Girls are outperforming boys on most STEM subjects on the CAT, 2011 and 2012

A higher share of girls score over 7 points on the CAT test (Math and Science) Comparative performance average boys & girls, 2012 (%) * The difference is statistically significant (Sig=.000)

Eighth grade students’ job preference by gender I would like a job that involves using... (%) * The difference is statistically significant (Sig=.000)

But fewer girls than boys apply for STEM post-secondary education

Post graduate & Faculty It’s the same situation for Masters’ and Doctorates in most faculties The gender composition of faculties is weighted towards men at senior levels

HEI STEM Faculty composition

TVET STEM Faculty composition

Comparison of CAT and UEE scores by subjects, year 2012 CAT and UEE scores, 2012

More boys enter TVET TVET IV-V level program admission

Boys admissions outweigh girls’ for University Admission for Bachelors’ Degree

Female representation in all staff positions in three Georgian universities (2006) Female representation in all staff positions in three Georgian universities

Girls at school do not rate their ability as highly as boys I am good at working out difficult problems in... (%) The difference is statistically significant : *(Sig=.000) ** (Sig.=.020)

Main Message 2: Teachers and Parents are Less Supportive of Girls than Boys, with respect to STEM Teachers think boys have more “STEM” abilities Parents report that hard sciences and math are more suited for their sons than for their daughters in spite of actual performance These influences from teachers and parents combine to reinforce stereotypes that STEM is more for boys than girls Text books also reinforce this latent stereotype

Teachers give more positive feedback to boys than to girls My teacher tells me I am good at... (%) The difference is statistically significant : *(Sig=.000) ** (Sig.=.020)

Girls at school do not rate their ability as highly as boys I am good at working out difficult problems in... (%) The difference is statistically significant : *(Sig=.000) ** (Sig.=.020)

And therefore girls are less likely than boys to consider a career in a STEM field I would like a job that involves using... (%) Source TIMMS 2011 * The difference is statistically significant (Sig=.000)

Teachers perceptions About 42% of surveyed secondary teachers agreed that boys find STEM subjects easier than girls do, some teachers’ comments were: –Boys are more able to think fast –Boys are more practical –Boys are more technical –Boys are more skillful and open-minded But: Most girls think that their capabilities are no worse than boys in STEM subjects

Gender in illustrations to 8 textbooks

Parent influences make a difference It is also clear that parental and family attitudes also play a key role in either encouraging girls to do well in STEM subjects or not; it appears that parents are more likely to encourage boys and more likely to have contact with sons’ math teachers than daughters’. 59.2% of school students agree that the role of family and social expectations into women’s career development is very strong in Georgia.

Percentage distribution of students taking extra lessons by gender PISA 2009 Attending enrichment lessons by gender The difference is statistically significant : *(Sig=.000) ** (Sig.=.007)

Gender Main Message 3: Girls and Women who enter post- secondary STEM education and employment face a “chilly climate” Fewer scholarships Gender stereotyped female role models in TVET Fewer STEM female role models at university

Scholarships Of those in the IPM research survey who had TVET scholarships, 63.6% were male and 28.6% female Of those in the IPM research survey who had HEI scholarships, 40.5% were female and 32.4% male

The workplace: a welcoming place for women? Source: IPM Research Employer Survey

How can Georgia recapture lost female talent and skills? Summary of recommendations A programme to popularise and proactively encourage STEM careers, especially for women Change role modeling … (marlaine) (27, 28 and 29 slides) A school based program to eliminate gender stereotyping Gender awareness development in education An employer, HEI and TVET program to promote gender balance Improved career guidance and information about post secondary education in STEM Improved information about scholarships