THE STATUS AND PROSPECTS OF WOMEN IN SCIENCE

Prof Dr. Abdul Rahman Attiyat
Multah University
Kerak - Jordan
 
 
At the end of this century, it is wholly inexcusable that centers of excellence and
academic teaching should remain bastions of male privilege and power. In most
countries of the world, more effort is needed to identify and appoint qualified women
into the area of science. In addition, short term programs are needed to increase the pool
of scientific women eligible for top positions.

Some rules govern the status and distribution of women in science. Maria Mitchell
revealed a persistent barrier to women in science, namely, sex-role stereotype of women
as emotional, artistic and delicate, which suggests that they are not suited to science. On
the contrary, sex - role stereotype of men as logical analytical and rigorous used to
describe science as masculine. Sex role stereotyping, however, is a social factor affecting
the role as well as the status of women in natural science (Kahle, 1984). It is anticipated
it will diminish; and hence, will lead to equity between men and women with regard to
attitudes toward and performance in science.

In most countries of the world, 40% to 50% of students are girls. However, there
is much greater sex imbalance in the area of science. In Germany, there is a general
concern about the number of girls studying physics in depth. Chivers (1984) reported
that only 33% of high level secondary students who enrolled in physics courses were
girls. In contrast, 81% of the secondary students who enrolled in biology courses were
girls.

In Finland, although women and men have an equal role in the working life, they are
working in different tracks. Peitonen (1987) reported that only 25% of the girls, about
age 18, in high school plan to choose a scientific (male) track, Moreover, only
3.4% of the girls aged 15 plan to do the same.

In Poland, Chivers (1984) reported that in the year 1940, girls represented less than 5%
of scientific students. However, in the year 1981, girls represented 28% of the students
in secondary science track.

Likewise, Insen (1987) reported that only 13% of secondary students in Norway,
selected the scientific track. In contract, 47% of boys entered the scientific track.

Very recently, the Ministry of Education, In Jordan, Launched its 10:2 system. That is,
10 years primary education and 2 years of secondary education.

The curriculum is non discriminating in that boys and girls take same courses from
primary through secondary school. In primary schools, students of both sexes study
same courses. At the end of the tenth grade, students of both sexes have to select either
a science or a non science track.

Table 1 represents the number of first and second secondary school girls in Jordan,
during the last ten years. The table indicates that number of first secondary school girls,
who selected the science track has been on a steady increase. To illustrate, the number of
girls in the scientific track has increased from 2825 n 1984 to 5305 in 1994. This increase
is impressive but when one considers the total of enrollment in the 1993/1994 academic
year, this is only 32.02%. Similarly the number of secondary school girls who select the
science track has increased during the last ten years. The enrollment rate increased from
2320 in 1984 to 4695.  When one considers the total of enrollment in the 1993/1994
year. this increase is only 32.39%.

TABLE (1)

Enrollment of Students by Grade Stream and Sex from the Years
                       1984 - 1994

			1st Grade               2nd Grade  

Scholastic 
Year		Sex		Sci		Lit		Total	Sci		Lit	 	 Total

1984-1985   Boys	6475	6087	12562	6084	4448	 10532    
			Girls	2825	6171	8996	2320	4378	 6698

1985-1986   Boys 	6975	5786	12761	7440	6262	 13702
			Girls	2584	6303	8887	2678	6199	 8877

1986-1987   Boys 	8244	6897	15141	7509	6312	 13821
			Girls	3615	8135	11750	2784	5783	 8567

1987-1988   Boys 	7930	6710	14640	9085	7170	 16255
			Girls	4084	8694	12778	3656	4470	 11126

1988-1989   Boys 	7805	6080	14786	8187	7063	 15250
			Girls	4798	9892	14690	4399	7610	 12009

1989-1990   Boys 	8271	6411	14682	8840	7162	 16002
			Girls	5026	9434	14460	4462	9092	 13554

1990-1991   Boys 	8587	7004	15591	8791	6570	 15361
			Girls	5366	10334	15700	5927	9036	 13963

1991-1992   Boys 	7953	7417	15370	8720	6925	 15645
			Girls	5022	9839	14861	4992	9246	 14238

1992-1993   Boys 	8413	7038	15499	8840	7000	 15400
			Girls	5386	10306	15692	5124	8983	 14107

1993-1994   Boys 	7891	7505	15396	7988	7847	 15335
			Girls	5305	11264 	16569	4695	9800	 14495     

Source:-  Education Statistic Unit, Ministry of Education, Amman, Jordan

Gender differences in enrollment of high school students in science courses lead to
differences in educational opportunities and rewards. Indeed, this is the case in almost
every country in the United States although 50% of undergraduate students were
women, only 35% of science students were women.

In England, Head 1989 reported that although 35% of students in higher education
were women, they represented less than  one in seven in physics and less than one in six 
in chemistry.

Similarly, in Singapore, Gremli (1987) found that the proportion of women enrolled in
the applied science faculties and tertiary institutions is only a fraction of the  number of
men in the same faculties and institutions.

Likewise, in Kenya, Marangu (1987) indicated that men have dominated the science
disciplines ever since the introduction of university education. And, although the
enrollment of women in science disciplines at Kenyatta University has been increasing
steadily during the past decade, science is still dominated by men. For example,
although first year women students have increased from 29 in 1977 to 100 in 1986,
when one considers the total of first year enrollment in 1986, this is only 28%.

In Jordan, although the proportion of men who enrolled at the Jordanian university in
1994 was only slightly greater than the corresponding proportion of women, there was
greater gender imbalance in science disciplines. For example, only 25% of the students
in  mathematics were women. Women were less likely than men to major in physics and
chemistry as well (ratios of about 1 to 5), while women were as likely as men to major in
biology.

According to the data from Yarmouk University Statistical Yearbook, one can observe
that since the establishment of the university, till now, women were under represented in
the science fields. In 1980, only 19.4% of science students were women. Table 2 
indicates that the enrollment rate for women in science courses 1000 went from 70 in the
year 1980 to 993 in the year 1992. This increase is impressive, but when one considers
the total number of students enrolled in the year 1992, this is only 39.3%.

TABLE (2)

Students Enrolled in the Scientific Fields by Sex During the 
Years 1980-1992



Academic Year	Men		Women	Total	Women Distribution
	1980		290		70		360		19.4 %
	1981		465		156		621		25.1 %
	1982		630		254		884		28.7 %  
	1983		777		391		1168	33.5 %   
	1984		1125	601		1726	34.8 %
	1985		1607	706		2313	30.5 %
	1986		1908	906		2814	32.2 %
	1987		1809	882		2691	32.8 %
	1988		1683	873		2556	34.2 %
	1989		1734	964		2698	35.7 %       
	1990		1493	856		2349	36.4 %
	1991		1564	944		2508	37.6 %
	1992		1532	993		2525	39.3 %

Source : Yarmouk University Statistical Yearbook



The above data also indicates that between the years 1980 and 1985, the enrollment of
women in science had grown. Growth has been noted in both women enrollment and
ratio of women to men in enrollment in science. However, the number dropped to 882
in 1987 and to 873 in 1988. Then there was a remarkable increase in the year 1989,
followed by a remarkable decrease in the  year 1990. During the years 1990-1992, the
enrollment of women increased from 856 to 993.

If one considers the total enrollments of students in science, one will notice that in 1980,
only 19.4% of science students were women. This percentage has improved steadily
during the years 1981-1984. Then, it dropped to 33.5% in 1985, followed by a steady
increase in the  following years, until it reaches the highest ever in 1992.

In conclusion, these are depressing results and reveal the notion that achieving equity for
women in science is a problem that should no longer be ignored either at a national or at
the international level. Hence, means and ways must be sought to find our the
constraints and influences that keep our women from scientific endeavours.


 Reasons, Influences and constraints:

1. Cultural notions of masculinity and femininity that are  transmitted to the youth.
These notions are women into the social rules that regulate relations between boys, girls,
and boys and girls. Hence, girls have to behave like girls and to identify with stereotypes
associated with females, value things differently, and engage in different activities.

2. Teachers, parents, peers, even school-counselors accept female stereotypes, and
display less confidence in females' science abilities.

3. Being a scientist does not fit into the traditional approaches to motherhood and
partnership. Most women want to have children and see it as their sole responsibility.

4. In some countries of the world (e.g. in Singapore) there is an educational policy that
effectively predetermine the career paths of women and men. In 1985, it was announced
that home economics would become a compulsory subject for all girls at secondary 
schools, where as boys would take technical studies instead. Moreover, school of science
at some universities (e.g. in Singapore) limit the intake of women to one-third of the total
enrollment.

Interventions to increase the participation of women in science :
1. Sex role stereotyping is a societal factor that affects the role and status of women in
science. The presence of women role models in crucial to the success of young women in
traditionally men areas. And hence, make women feel that success in science is both
possible and legitimate.

2. Since feminine culture is characterized by social relations and empty, curricula should
be focused on the social aspects of science. And that scientists must cooperate with
each other, meet people, and helping them to solve problems.

3. Boys report more experiences with certain tools and objects such as cars and
screwdrivers and with certain toys like electrical kits. Elementary curriculum should
include such experiences for girls.

4. Teachers and parents should support and encourage girls in science via the  usage of
non-sexist language in classroom, avoid sex stereotyped views of science as masculine.

5. Women scientists should tell girls about their education and career to provide them
with role models, so that they will feel that women scientists are something quite
natural.

6. Women are under employed because employers are afraid they will bear a child stay
at home for about one year. If it should be compulsory for both men and women to share
the parental leave and stay at home, it would be an equal risk for the employers to
employ women and men.

7. Better instruction in institutional politics and in the intricacies of raising funds at the
national and international levels would be useful, as would requiring a written equal
opportunities statement as a part of all applications for national and international level
programs.

8. Discussing and setting goals at the national and international levels to increase the
participation of women in science and then to use positive action to achieve them.

9. Improvement in the status of women in science will probably depend on pressure from
those with power to initiate change. The press, women's groups in scientific societies, as
well as more broadly based organizations can play leading roles.

10. Ensuring that qualified women are included on the top national and international
committees that set policy as well as on committees that allocate scientific funds.

11. Using the national and the international funds to increase the entry of women in
scientific fields and to training women in technical positions.

12. Constructive attitudes, a caring approach, open communication channels between
faculty and students, and good will can go a long way toward enhancing successful
outcomes for students and young faculty members.


REFERENCES

Chivers, G (1984) A Comparative International Study of Intervention Strategies to
Reduce Girls' Disadvantages in Science and Technology Education and Vocational
Training, Paper presented at Interests in Science and Technology Education. IPA
Symposium, Kiel, Germany, April 12-16.

Gremli M (1987) Access to Science Related Careers by Young Singapore Women,
Contributions to Fourth) GASAT Conference. The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor,
Michigan, PP 9 -17.

Head, J (1989) Personality and the Pursuit of Science Studies in Science Education 6, 23
- 44

Insen, G, (1970) Gender, Values, and Technology: A Cultural Perspective, Contributions
to the Fourth GASAT Conference, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, PP
103 - 111.

Kahle, J (1984) Women Biologists: A View and Vision. Paper presented at the 6th
meeting of the International Union of Biological Sciences, Commission for Biological
Education, August 23, 1984. US Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Co.

Marangu, J (1987) .Ten year study of women of performance in science subjects at
Kenyatta, Contributions to the Fount Gasat Conference, The University of Michigan pp.
177-184

National Science Foundation (NSF) (1984 January) Women and Minorities in Science
and Engineering. (NSF 9-1-300) Washington DC; National Science Foundation.

Peltonen, C (1987) Are Women Able to Change the Image and Content of Science and
Technology? Contributions to the Fourth GASAT Conference. The University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, PP. 222 - 229.