The call for gender balance, levelling the engineering gradient for more female students: The case of Gweru Polytechnic College

Abstract

Women are important partners in economic development but their underrepresentation in engineering courses is a cause for concern in Zimbabwe polytechnics. The study’s purpose is to unravel reasons for this anomaly. Purposive and random sampling was used to select participants made up of 10 lecturers, 5 parents and 40 students from engineering division. The research employed a case study approach where data was collected through focus groups, face to face interviews, questionnaires and document analysis. Results of the study were thematically analysed in line with qualitative and quantitative approaches. The study’s findings highlighted that little knowledge, unfavourable working conditions, lack of funds to pursue Engineering career trade, challenging and demanding courses for females, low entry qualifications and discrimination against females by society were noted. This study recommends that technical engineering courses be introduced early at primary and secondary schools. There is need of career guidance and extensive marketing of engineering programmes. Repeat of the study on a national level will help to verify this problem for policy implications.