The Women’s University in Africa in Collaboration with Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE) and IDRC is hosting a virtual workshop on Bridging the Gender Equality Gap in Science.
Dear Participant
The Women’s University in Africa is cordially inviting at least two relevant participants from amongst lecturers and Quality Assurance directors in your institution to a Gender Responsive Pedagogy webinar being hosted by the University and the Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE). After attending this webinar, participants could then hold similar presentations to the rest of their relevant staff as part of internal capacity building at each institution.
Webinar Title:
Gender Responsive Pedagogy: Towards Inclusive Science Programmes in Zimbabwe
About the webinar
This webinar, hosted in partnership with the Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE), the body responsible for quality and standards in Zimbabwe’s institutions of higher learning, comes as an output and a response to Objective 4 of the “Bridging the Gender Equality Gap in Science at the Women’s University in Africa, Zimbabwe” project funded by the International Development Research Centre whose objectives are to:
- Explore the nature of systemic barriers and their consequences on the engagement of women in Science fields at WUA and in Zimbabwe’s institutions of higher education and inform measures of addressing the barriers.
- Interrogate and evaluate practical and policy interventions by WUA (in its administration and Science faculties) to mitigate these barriers to inform future interventions.
- Design, implement and monitor novel approaches and interventions with WUA to address and reduce barriers preventing women’s full participation in Science fields at the University.
- Proffer recommendations and share lessons and best practices with key stakeholders in Zimbabwe for the reduction of barriers preventing women’s full participation in Science fields in the country’s higher education institutions.
At this webinar, bringing together critical stakeholders in the higher education sector in Zimbabwe, issues of gender responsive pedagogy for inclusive learning practices in Zimbabwe’s tertiary institutions are interrogated. Key issues tackled include:
- i) Why gender responsive pedagogy in Zimbabwe’s institutions of higher learning;
- ii) Challenges of implementing it and;
iii) How to implement it for optimum results.
The expected outcome of the webinar is improved gender equality outcomes as a result of enhanced gender mainstreaming practices in universities.
Speakers
Prof. K. P. Dzvimbo, Chief Executive Officer, Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education
Date and Time
November 25th starting at 9am – 11:30am.
How to join?
Please join the meeting by following the following link:
Director of Ceremonies: Dr I. T Mahiya
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25 November 2021 |
Facilitator
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09:00 – 09:10 |
Opening Remarks |
PVC, Academic Affairs, Professor Elizabeth Chikwiri |
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09:10 – 09:20 |
Background to the webinar |
IDRC Project Principal Investigator, Professor Sunungurai D. Chingarande |
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09:20 – 10:20 |
Gender Responsive Pedagogy: Towards Inclusive Science Programmes in Zimbabwe |
ZIMCHE CEO, Professor Kuzvinetsa, P. Dzvimbo |
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10:20 – 10:40 |
Discussant |
Jennifer Chapin, Senior Programme Specialist, INASP |
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10:40 – 11:25 |
Discussion and Way Forward for Gender Responsive Pedagogy in Zimbabwe |
IDRC Project Co-Principal Investigators Dr T. Muyambo and Dr. W Muchabaiwa |
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11:25 – 11:30 |
Closing Remarks |
ZIMCHE Chief Director Health and Life Sciences, Professor Felicity Z. Gumbo |
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11:30 |
End of Programme |
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RSVP
May you please respond with the nominations and their emails to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. on or before 23rd of November 2021 so that direct invites could be shared.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Sunungurai D. Chingarande
Vice Chancellor
Gender Responsive Pedagogy: Towards Inclusive Science Programmes in Zimbabwe
Concept Note
World over, the important role of science and technology and gender equality for development has become imperative as espoused in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [UN, 2015]. In Zimbabwe, the country’s Vision 2030 for example, acknowledges the pivotal role of science and technology, with a particular focus on Science disciplines in the country’s industrialization agenda that is aimed at ensuring that the country attains an upper middle-income status by 2030. In support of this vision, the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development developed Doctrine 5.0, a framework and road map that describes the important role of universities in the country’s industrialization agenda and emphasizes on the place of Science in this development agenda (GoZ, 2018). Although Science is identified as one of the vehicles to the realization of vision 2030 in Zimbabwe, the vision also identifies gender equality, a human right and a foundation for peaceful, prosperous and sustainable development as an enabler and key driver for this vision. To this end, inclusive Science initiatives are recognized as fundamental for Zimbabwe’s industrialization agenda.
The situation on the ground however is that women have achieved near-parity in several fields but with persisting gaps in Science (National Science Foundation, 2011). The current stock of graduates is still highly skewed towards humanities and social sciences, while the proportion of students in Sciences averages less than 25% (World Economic Forum, 2016; Iwu & Azoro, 2017; Febbraro &Pickering; Evans, 1995). Women continue to remain underrepresented among Science graduates in Zimbabwe with female students at 19% compared to 39% of male students (World Economic Forum, 2018). Studies on the underrepresentation of women in sciences have linked it to structural factors created through the social structures of institutions and the segmentation of the labour market and internalised values and beliefs about appropriate roles and expectations (Evans, 1995). In other words, the participation of women in Science disciplines tends to be hampered by the deeply entrenched patriarchal and cultural norms and practices that tend to undermine women’s agency and perpetuate the subservient status of women. Furthermore, the gap is commonly attributed to negative stereotypes and lack of role models, lowering girls’ performance, aspirations vis-à-vis science and technology, covert discrimination, implicit biases and career preferences (McCullough, 2013).
Addressing gender inequality in Science education requires an approach that ensures that both girls and boys, women and men not only gain access to and complete education cycles but are equally empowered through education. A gender responsive pedagogy is a critical aspect of this process because it responds to the specific needs of girls and boys through the teaching and learning process and ensures that girls, boys, women and men are able to fulfil their potential in Science. Pedagogy includes what is taught and how it is taught. Lesson planning, teaching instruction, classroom management, performance evaluation and assessment are all incorporated in the gender-responsive pedagogy (Mlama etal, 2005). Generally, pedagogy relates to the profession of teaching, educating or instructing. Nabbuye (2018) has noted that gender-responsive pedagogy can make girls engage and excel in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), where they gain relevant skills to enable them to compete in the labour market in line with post 2015 Sustainable Development Goals. There is immediate need to create awareness on how lecturers should treat boys and girls, men and women during instructional hours (Abraha et al.2019). To this end, the Women’s University in Africa, with its mandate on addressing gender inequality and fostering equity in University education is hosting a webinar aimed at creating awareness on gender responsive pedagogy in University education in general and in Science disciplines in particular. This webinar, hosted in partnership with the Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE), the body responsible for quality and standards in Zimbabwe’s institutions of higher learning, comes as an output and a response to Objective 4 of the “Bridging the Gender Equality Gap in Science at the Women’s University in Africa, Zimbabwe” project funded by the International Development Research Centre whose objectives are:
- Explore the nature of systemic barriers and their consequences on the engagement of women in Science fields at WUA and in Zimbabwe’s institutions of higher education and inform measures of addressing the barriers.
- Interrogate and evaluate practical and policy interventions by WUA (in its administration and Science faculties) to mitigate these barriers to inform future interventions.
- Design, implement and monitor novel approaches and interventions with WUA to address and reduce barriers preventing women’s full participation in Science fields at the University.
- Proffer recommendations and share lessons and best practices with key stakeholders in Zimbabwe for the reduction of barriers preventing women’s full participation in Science fields in the country’s higher education institutions.
At this webinar, bringing together critical stakeholders in the higher education sector in Zimbabwe, issues of gender responsive pedagogy for inclusive learning practices in Zimbabwe’s tertiary institutions are interrogated. Key issues tackled include why gender responsive pedagogy in Zimbabwe’s institutions of higher learning; challenges of implementing it and how be to implement it for optimum results. The expected outcome of the webinar is improved gender equality outcomes as a result of enhanced gender mainstreaming practices in universities.