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According to UNESCO, women represent only 35 percent of all students enrolled in STEM-related fields of study globally. Lacking reliable data, this number is thought to be even lower in sub-Saharan africa due to the drop in enrollment as students progress from primary to post-secondary levels of schooling. In Sierra Leone, the enrollment drops precipitously from 90 percent at the primary level to 4.8 percent at the tertiary or post-secondary level.

In Sierra Leone, this issue of gender inequality is further exacerbated due an education system plagued with chronic shortages of facilities, supplies, an antiquated curriculum, and quality instructors. These problems pose barriers for all young people to enroll in basic, secondary and post-secondary schooling. Although girls’ educational access is improving, class completion remains scarce with consistently low enrollment in secondary school and high dropout rates. In addition, there is still overall preference for boys to receive higher levels of education while girls are often instructed to stay home and perform domestic responsibilities.

Early pregnancy, gender-based violence, child marriage and cultural biases propagate the cycle of gender inequality. Sierra Leone has one of the world’s highest adolescent pregnancy rates, and is largely responsible for the high dropout rate among girls. Furthermore, early marriage further hinders girls to pursue an education and gain independence. Girls in Sierra Leone often get married as early as age 11, and more than half of all girls are married before the age of 18.

For those fortunate enough to make to college, women are more likely to enroll in non-STEM majors including education, social sciences, business, and law because many do not meet the requirements to enter STEM programs. Acceptance into these programs are based on students performance on the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) which often determines if, where, and in what major a student can continue their post-secondary education. For example, many STEM-related majors require that students pass their exams in mathematics, biology, chemistry, and/or physics in order to enroll said programs. Historically, overall pass rates in these courses have ranged from 3-11 percent, effectively eliminating any chance of training the next generation of STEM leaders (male or female).