UNODC Education for Justice Initiative Global Hackathon 2018
Deputy Minister Remarks – UNODC Education for Justice Initiative Global Hackathon 2018 – 9 July 2018 – AFRICA – TEEN GEEKS – SABC FOUNDATION
The institute of Information Technology Professionals (IITPSA) state that 56% of global ICT professional jobs are held by women, but in South Africa – where women comprise 55% of the country’s entire workforce – only 20% of the ICT workforce are women.
According to the Department of Basic Education female participation in IT at school is only 23%. This is a challenge especially given the fact that only 5% of schools offer computer science due to lack of qualified teachers. And the majority of these schools are in affluent suburbs.
Africa Teen Geeks in partnership with Standardbank and the SABC Radio and the SABC Foundation started the Girl Geek campaign in 2016 to meet the following objectives:
• Close the opportunity gap where access to computing education is concerned ensuring inclusive education for the previously disadvantaged
• Close the gender gap by creating a pipeline of women in technology
• Increase participation of female learners in IT in schools with a special emphasis on previously disadvantaged children
This year we have expanded our Saturday classes to additional 6 centres making us present in 9 centres in all 9 provinces. The centres are Durban, Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Rustenburg, Mahikeng, Kimberly, Pretoria, Johannesburg, Witbank , Vhuwani and Polokwane. Our vision in to certify 400 girls by October 2018.
We are also creating a Girl Geek Connect; a mentorship platform aimed at exposing high school students to University students mentors pursuing STEM degrees as well as University Students to Women leaders in STEM careers.
