“Girls and boys start equally. But somewhere between curiosity and curriculum, the gap begins.”
Introduction: A Silent Divide in STEM
Across the globe, the number of
women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) fields
remains dismally low. For decades, this under-representation has been blamed on
“choice” or “lack of interest.” But what if the seeds of this divide are sown
in the earliest years of schooling?
A landmark study published in Nature
(2024), conducted in France, now confirms what was long suspected but
rarely measured: the gender gap in mathematics emerges within just four
months of formal education, despite equal aptitude at the start.
This is not merely a statistic. It
is a call to reimagine the foundational years of learning — where
beliefs are formed, identities are shaped, and futures are quietly redirected.
The Data Speaks: Findings from the French
Study
- Sample Size:
2.653 million children aged 5–7
- Timeframe:
2018 to 2022
- Tool:
EvalAide – nationwide assessment of math and language in French primary
schools
Key
Revelations:
- At School Entry:
No difference between boys’ and girls’ average math scores
- After 4 Months:
A small but significant math advantage emerged in favour of boys
- By Age 7–8:
Twice as many boys as girls were in the top 5% of performers
- Across All Settings:
The gap persisted across regions, income levels, school types, and curricular
variations
But the most startling insight: The
gap was wider among affluent families, particularly those where both
parents were in scientific professions — proving that privilege does not
always equal progressiveness.
Inequality in education doesn’t always
begin with access; sometimes it begins with expectation.
— Suryavanshi’s Insight
Why Does the Gap Emerge?
Despite similar initial aptitude, social,
emotional, and institutional dynamics contribute to the gender gap. The
study suggests multiple interlinked causes:
1.
Math Anxiety and Competitive Framing
- Girls, more than boys, are socialised to be risk-averse.
- Math tests often simulate competitive,
time-pressured environments.
- The harder the test, the wider the gender gap — anxiety
becomes the silent separator.
2.
Stereotype Activation
- Once math is formally “labelled” in primary school, social
stereotypes get activated.
- Messages like “boys are naturally better at math”
begin to influence self-perception.
- Girls internalise doubt, even when performance
is equal.
3.
Bias in Adult Expectations
- Teachers may unknowingly assign reading to girls and
problem-solving to boys.
- Parents may praise effort in girls and brilliance in
boys, setting different trajectories of confidence.
When a child is told what she’s good at,
she starts believing what she’s not.
— Suryavanshi’s Insight
Relevance to India: Why We Must Care
India’s NEP 2020 dreams of a nation
driven by innovation, inclusion, and equity. Yet:
- Women constitute less than 30% of the STEM workforce.
- Female representation in IITs and NITs remains disproportionately low.
- Schemes like Vigyan Jyoti, KIRAN, and Rashtriya
Avishkar Abhiyan are steps in the right direction, but gaps persist at
the school level, where foundational mindsets are built.
✍️ This is not a women’s issue. It’s a national
productivity issue. A talent-waste issue. A future-readiness issue.
Suryavanshi’s 5-Point Strategy to Bridge the
Gap
1.
Rebuild the Teacher Mindset
- Make gender-sensitive pedagogy part of teacher
training.
- Reward equal questioning, equal participation,
and bias-free praise in classrooms.
- Strengthen teacher confidence in math teaching,
especially for female educators (majority in primary schools).
2.
Culturally Reposition Mathematics
- Deconstruct the myth that math is about speed and
correctness.
- Highlight its connection to logic, creativity, and
resilience — qualities that belong to no gender.
3.
Early Role Modelling
- Introduce girls to visible, relatable women in STEM
— in textbooks, cartoons, workshops, and mentorship programs.
- Representation inspires aspiration.
4.
Empower the Parents
- Launch public awareness campaigns against subtle,
well-meaning stereotypes at home.
- Encourage parents to engage girls in math play, puzzles,
and logic games, just as with boys.
5.
Shift the Narrative on Intelligence
- Promote the “growth mindset”: that intelligence
grows with effort, not fixed at birth.
- Replace “you’re smart” with “you worked
smart”.
A confident girl in Grade 1 can become the
coder, scientist, or civil servant of 2040.
But only if we don’t let her give up on numbers at age 6.
UPSC Mains Practice Question:
Q.
Despite equal cognitive abilities at early ages, gender gaps in mathematics performance
persist in schools. Analyse the reasons behind this phenomenon and suggest
educational reforms that could address the issue.
GS Paper Relevance:
- GS I:
Role of women in development
- GS II:
Issues related to education and human resource development
- GS III:
Science and Technology, Awareness in the field of IT, space, computers,
robotics, nanotechnology
Conclusion: Teach Equally, Believe Equally
The first step toward a STEM-inclusive
future is to stop asking “Why don’t girls choose math?” and start
asking “What made them stop?”
The answer may lie in one lesson,
one comment, one test, or one teacher — in the earliest years of school.
That’s where the battle is lost. And that’s where we must begin to win.
Let’s raise a generation where ability
isn’t gendered — and opportunity isn’t either.
— Suryavanshi IAS
No comments:
Post a Comment