As the world observes the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, Saint Lucia is confronting a sobering reality. Fewer than thirty per cent of graduates in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in the region are women, a statistic that education officials say demands urgent and sustained intervention.
While classrooms across the island are filled with bright and capable girls, many still face barriers when it comes to pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Education leaders argue that the solution lies not only in encouragement at the secondary level, but in building confidence and competence from an early age.
District Four Education Officer Marie George-Arlain stressed that preparation must begin in primary school if girls are to thrive in traditionally male-dominated fields.
“We have to prepare the students, not at the secondary school level, but as early as possible from the primary school level, so that they can function at the secondary school level and also to prepare them for the future,” she said.
George-Arlain believes that early exposure to STEM concepts can help dismantle stereotypes before they take root, giving girls the tools and assurance they need to pursue ambitious career paths.
“I want to encourage the girls to step up, to believe that any career, any field that they want to undertake, they can do it, because they are just as capable as the boys,” she stated.
She pointed to a gradual cultural shift, noting that more young women are entering professions once considered unconventional for females.
“As the world is changing, more and more you see girls going to the non-traditional fields like engineering, even being a pilot,” George-Arlain observed.
However, she emphasised that encouragement must be deliberate and sustained, particularly as economies become increasingly driven by technology and innovation.
“So, we need to encourage our girls to engage in the digital transformation so that they can match up to their male counterparts,” she added.
As Saint Lucia reflects on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the message from educators is clear. The next generation of innovators is already sitting in classrooms across the island. The challenge now is to ensure that girls are given every opportunity, from the earliest stages of their education, to become leaders in science, technology and beyond.