SWAT: Women’s rights and education activists urged the government to immediately implement the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education system in schools, particularly in girls’ schools.

During the concluding session of the Women STEM Fellowship on Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) Leadership and Advocacy, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), activists emphasised that modern education would empower women and enable them to pass these skills on to their children, contributing to a better future for Pakistan.

The fellowship was organised by the NGOs Girls United for Human Rights in collaboration with Women Win and led by facilitators Fazal Khaliq, Ifthikhar Ahmad, and human rights activist Hadiqa Bashir.

Around 40 women and girl students from various parts of Swat district participated in the fellowship, showcasing their STEM-based projects and models created during the programme. The participants highlighted how the STEM fellowship was a transformative experience, introducing them to women’s rights, the UN SDGs, and practical projects incorporating these themes.

“Unlike traditional education, this fellowship fully engaged us in our projects, with continuous support from mentors,” they added.

Participants expressed their surprise and disappointment at Pakistan’s continued reliance on outdated educational systems. They shared that the fellowship had helped them conceptually understand and apply what they learned, a stark contrast to the rote memorisation-based methods prevalent in schools.

Human rights activist Hadiqa Bashir stated that her organisation planned to advocate for the inclusion of the STEM education system in Pakistan’s curriculum. She also announced that fellows with entrepreneurial and scalable project ideas would receive further support to pursue their initiatives.

The fellowship concluded with an awards ceremony, where participants were presented with certificates and cash prizes to acknowledge their achievements and encourage their continued efforts.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2024