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OpinionComment
Gita Sabharwal
Atsuko Okuda
Gita SabharwalandAtsuko Okuda

Opinion | Time is right to boost ICT education for girls and fix the gender digital divide

  • Closing the gender gap in education outcomes has not translated into equal participation and representation in politics, the economy and society in Thailand, for example
  • The disruptions caused by the pandemic can provide us with an opportunity to build a more equitable and sustainable world

Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
A girl experiments with a solar car during a STEM promotional activity organised by the Education Bureau at the SKH Holy Cross Primary School in Kowloon City, Hong Kong, on March 20, 2018. Photo: Nora Tam
Gita SabharwalandAtsuko Okuda

Supakarn Jantawang has a plan. Inspired by design thinking, she wants to work with the student council committee at her school in Chumphon, a province in the south of Thailand, to manage food waste in collaboration with nearby vendors.

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For her, education about information and communication technology (ICT) is more than facts and figures. Design thinking has given her a critical-thinking approach to solving problems step by step, which she thinks will help in her future career as a doctor.

For an increasing number of people in Thailand and worldwide, the knowledge and skills associated with ICT are important in almost every area of life, not just work or school but also in their communities and personal lives.

Yet, equal access to education, training and opportunities is still limited for many people. This includes girls and women, lower-income groups, people with disabilities, those living in rural areas and the elderly.

Equal access to education is a fundamental human right and a necessary foundation of sustainable development.

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There is growing awareness among policymakers and educators in Thailand – and most importantly on the part of girls and young women themselves – about the importance of ICT and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education, and their own full and equal capabilities relative to their male peers.

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