80% of girls joining A- Level want to study sciences: Jolie Ladegonde Mukase, Head mistress of Fawe Girls school

In traditional African cultural settings, education of the girl child was almost a taboo and if a girl went to school, the best and highest level she could reach was the junior level. It can’t be said that parents were primitive; perhaps they felt that girl child education was a waste of resources. But if someone entered a science faculty in a university today, they would be amazed at the participation of girls in different science faculties. Jolie Ladegonde Mukase, Head mistress of Fawe Girls school, Gisozi talks about how girls education is on the rise in Rwanda.“Starting with an example of my school which majors in sciences, unlike long time ago where girls shunned away from sciences, today we have more than 80% of the students requesting for science combinations in the advanced level of education. “And it doesn’t just stop at that. they also show the urge to study and pass these exams. For example, last year, we had over 71% of our girls on government sponsorship for science courses. And the percentage keeps increasing per year for many girls in different schools,” she says. However girls haven’t only shown this momentum in just education but other fields as well. East African Essay Writing competitions have taken place twice, both by Fawe Girls School. “These competitions also have a number of schools in the region with boys as well, but it’s amazing to see that girls still emerge the best. It’s encouraging and shows the evolution of girl empowerment, reducing the gap between males and females.”