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The University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) has made remarkable strides in promoting gender inclusion, increasing its female student population from 1% to 25% over the years.
This achievement was celebrated during an International Women’s Day (IWD) event organized by the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), UMaT Chapter, in partnership with the Australian High Commission.
The event, held at UMaT’s auditorium in Tarkwa, brought together students, market women, professionals, and stakeholders from the Tarkwa Nsuaem and Prestea Huni Valley Municipalities to discuss ways to accelerate gender equality.
Themed “Together, Let Us Accelerate Action for Gender Equality,” the celebration emphasized the importance of inclusivity and women’s empowerment in education and leadership.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Grace Ofori Sarpong, Pro Vice-Chancellor of UMaT, recounted the university’s journey toward gender equity. She explained that women’s participation in the University was extremely low, starting under one percent female population.
“UMaT started as a technical institution in 1952, transitioned through a faculty-university college to a fully-fledged university in 2004 as a typical STEM institution, women’s participation was extremely low, starting under one percent female student population”.
Prof Grace Ofori Sarpong was excited that the UMaT female population now stands at 25 percent.
She attributed this progress to UMaT’s gender-mainstreaming policy, which actively promotes female participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education.
“This has become possible due to the university’s gender-mainstreaming policy, which aims to accelerate action towards gender parity”, she stated.
The Deputy High Commissioner of Australia to Ghana, Her Excellency Penny Dennis, lauded UMaT for its commitment to increasing female representation in higher education, particularly in STEM disciplines.
“I was particularly happy to hear of the university’s own success from going from 1% to 25% female students population, challenging the notion that girls can’t do well in STEM”.
She highlighted the broader benefits of gender equity, emphasizing that it is a key driver of economic growth, social cohesion, and global stability.
Her Excellency Dennis also reaffirmed Australia’s commitment to gender inclusion, stating that in 2023 and 2024 alone, the Australian government allocated $2.3 billion to gender-focused programs worldwide.
She further disclosed that over 80% of the Australian Commission’s programs in Ghana will prioritize women’s economic empowerment and leadership, reinforcing their commitment to bridging gender gaps in education and employment.
The UTAG President, UMaT Chapter Prof Eric Neebo Wiah noted that the event was to honor the accomplishments of women in diverse sectors and to also promote awareness regarding gender equality matters, and to advocate for the initiative that expedites the advancement of gender parity.
He noted that the celebration underscores the societal, economic, cultural and political contributions women provide to society while also confronting the challenges that they encounter.
