Uganda is experiencing changes in educational policies and the study of science is now mandatory for the school leaving diploma, the Uganda Certificate of Education.  There has been an increase in the number of government scholarships for science-based study and some universities are offering science scholarships for girls.  Female participation and performance in science-based disciplines is increasing but only in areas with well established schools, good science facilities and supportive parents.  Poorly resourced areas of the country continue to benefit less, having few facilities, and a lack of local and external support.  This project therefore aims to not only reduce the existing gap between male and female students in science subjects, but also to lessen the gap between the relatively developed and the poorly resourced school districts of Uganda.

The project will begin in areas of limited local resources in terms of public and private revenue. Such areas are characterised by high poverty levels, poor social infrastructure and low levels of school attendance.  Problems relating to female participation in science subjects in primary and secondary schools will be identified and strategies to promote science education for girls through the use of classroom teaching, science clubs, workshops, career guidance, radio campaigns, competitions etc. will be developed and implemented.  Community leaders and parents will be involved in the project and it will be monitored by the Uganda Association of University Women, Makerere University School of Education, and the Ugandan Ministry of Education and Sports.

In 2007, UAUW plans to undertake data collection in schools and conduct focus groups (for parents and students), interviews (headteachers and education bureaucrats) and workshops (for teachers).  In sampling students to interview, UAUW will use 90 secondary and primary schools and interview 900 students (ten from each school).