Commenting on the aforementioned survey’s results, Tillmann says, “Appetite for more practical work is higher among groups with lower levels of engagement in science, including students who are not interested in science or who see science as ‘not for me.’”
“The ‘not for me’ group is most likely to include girls, and students with a white or mixed ethnicity, and makes up 32% of young people surveyed in Years 7–13.”
The survey also shows a drop in students’ interest in science and computer science. Among Years 7–9, interest has fallen from 76% in 2019 to 71%, and a noticeable gender gap has appeared. While interest among boys remains relatively high at 76%, it has dropped to 65% among girls.
Confidence seems to play a big role. Half of the girls in this age group say science feels too difficult, compared with about a third of boys. Girls are also less likely to say they’re good at the subject.
As students get older, many become less interested in STEM careers, especially girls, who often say they simply don’t enjoy the subjects or don’t feel confident in them.
Memes alone won’t fix the problem, but hopefully, they can be a tiny spark to keep the conversation going—and who knows where that might lead.
