In e na ional Jou nal o Cu en Science Resea ch and Re iew
ISSN: 2581-8341
Volume 08 Issue 11 No embe 2025
DOI: 10.47191/ijcs /V8-i11-27, Impac Fac o : 8.048
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New Gende Inequali ies in Te ia y Ins i u ions o Lea ning in Selec ed
Uni e si ies in Sou he n A ica
Roy Kalinda1, Chimya Mulimbika2, Kusan han Thankian3
1,2,3 Depa men o Gende S udies, School o Humani ies and Social Sciences, Uni e si y o Zambia, Zambia.
ABSTRACT: Du ing he 1990s and he p eceding yea s, a ious campaigns we e launched ac oss se e al Sou he n A ican
coun ies o encou age gi ls o en oll in school and emain in he educa ion sys em h ough o he e ia y le el. These e o s
ollowed s udies ha e ealed signi ican gende inequeali ies in educa ion, pa icula ly in coun ies whe e gi ls ailed o comple e
school due o ac o s such as gende disc imina ion wi hin households—whe e boys' educa ion was p io i ized—lack o inancial
esou ces, ea ly p egnancies, and high d opou a es o a ious o he easons. In esponse, se e al go e nmen s and non-
go e nmen al o ganiza ions (NGOs) implemen ed p og ams aimed a inc easing gi ls’ pa icipa ion and e en ion in school h ough
o he e ia y le el. These ini ia i es ha e, in some coun ies, yielded posi i e ou comes, e idenced by inc eased en ollmen o
emale lea ne s a he p ima y, seconda y, and e ia y le els.
This a icle ocuses on he s a us o emale s uden s in e ia y ins i u ions wi hin selec ed Sou he n A ican uni e si ies. I a gues
ha he e has been a no able inc ease in he numbe o emale s uden s in highe educa ion, wi h some ins i u ions achie ing and
e en su passing gende pa i y. In ce ain uni e si ies, his has esul ed in a e e sal o adi ional gende imbalances, whe e male
s uden s now cons i u e he mino i y. Howe e , despi e hese ad ances, many uni e si ies con inue o expe ience gende dispa i ies
in STEM (Science, Technology, Enginee ing, and Ma hema ics) disciplines, whe e emale s uden s emain unde ep esen ed.
Simila ly, emale lec u e s con inue o o m a mino i y wi hin academic s a . Al hough he gene al end ac oss Sou he n A ica
shows an inc ease in emale s uden en ollmen , his has no ansla ed in o a p opo ional inc ease in he numbe o emale
academics. Mo eo e , he e appea o be no delibe a e p og ams aimed a add essing he unde ep esen a ion o male s uden s in
ins i u ions whe e hey a e now he mino i y—bo h in e ms o en ollmen and g adua ion a es. Likewise, he e is a lack o a ge ed
ini ia i es o inc ease he numbe and isibili y o women in academic and managemen posi ions wi hin uni e si ies, despi e hei
possessing quali ica ions compa able o hose o hei male coun e pa s.
The a icle con ends ha he ise in emale s uden en ollmen in Sou he n A ican uni e si ies has in oduced new o ms o gende
inequali y, pa icula ly wi h male s uden s now o ming a mino i y in some ins i u ions, while emale unde ep esen a ion in STEM
disciplines pe sis s. I is an icipa ed ha he con inued inc ease in emale en ollmen may, o e ime, help add ess dispa i ies in
STEM ields. Howe e , i le unadd essed, he declining ep esen a ion o male s uden s could each p oblema ic le els, po en ially
leading o a sho age o male p o essionals in key sec o s. Finally, he gende dispa i ies among s uden s a e mo e p onounced in
public uni e si ies in Zambia han in p i a e ins i u ions.
KEYWORDS: Ca ee aspi a ions in STEM, Gende , Gende inequali ies, Gende s e eo ype.
INTRODUCTION
Gende inequali y wi hin e ia y ins i u ions in Sou he n A ica is a mul i ace ed issue in luenced by a ious ac o s. One signi ican
aspec is he unde ep esen a ion o women in leade ship posi ions among academic s a . This phenomenon is well-documen ed by
esea ch conduc ed in he egion [1]. Women o en ace challenges in ascending he academic hie a chy, which can be a ibu ed o
deeply ing ained gende biases and s e eo ypes [2]. Such biases can esul in women being passed o e o p omo ions o leade ship
oles in a ou o hei male coun e pa s. O he esea che s indica e ha “ he majo i y o li e a u e and esea ch on educa ion and
gende ocuses on p ima y and seconda y school educa ion. The smalle amoun o exis ing da a abou uni e si ies and colleges
shows he huge gende gap. Cu en ly, 7.19% o women a e en olled in uni e si ies and colleges in Sub Saha an A ica compa ed
o 10.41% o men en olled. This is low compa ed o global a e age o women which is 41.66% [3]. While his s udy ocused on
Sub Saha an A ica, he da a o his pape ocuses on selec ed coun ies in Sou he n A ica and compa es he en ollmen s o male
and emale s uden s in colleges and uni e si ies.
In e na ional Jou nal o Cu en Science Resea ch and Re iew
ISSN: 2581-8341
Volume 08 Issue 11 No embe 2025
DOI: 10.47191/ijcs /V8-i11-27, Impac Fac o : 8.048
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I ’s impo an o ecognize ha hese dispa i ies a e complex and mul i ace ed. Wi hin he academic ealm, gende inequali ies can
mani es in nume ous ways, a ec ing access o educa ion, ca ee oppo uni ies, and he o e all academic expe ience. By examining
hese p ac ical examples, we can gain a deepe unde s anding o he challenges and ba ie s ha pe sis in e ia y ins i u ions ac oss
he globe, wi h he aim o p omo ing g ea e gende equi y and inclusi i y wi hin he educa ional landscape.
Addi ionally, gende inequali y can mani es among s uden s h ough dispa i ies in access o educa ional oppo uni ies and
disciplines. Female s uden s may be discou aged o s ee ed away om pu suing STEM (Science, Technology, Enginee ing, and
Ma hema ics) ields due o socie al pe cep ions and s e eo ypes [4]. This con ibu es o a gende gap in en olmen in ce ain academic
p og ams pa icula ly in STEM cou ses as indica ed abo e. Howe e , i should be no ed ha he emale s uden s hough in hei
mino i y a e making headways in o STEM cou ses and his has been mani es ed in he p esence o women ‘s enginee ing
associa ions in se e al coun ies in Sou he n A ica composed o emale g adua es who o cou se s udied STEM cou ses a e ia y
le el. Managemen o uni e si ies s ill emain a ese e o male academics and he women academics emain mo e unde ep esen ed
o in he pe iphe als o managemen . Ini ia i es like he Sus ainable De elopmen Goal 5 (SDG 5) o he Uni ed Na ions, which
aims o achie e gende equali y and empowe all women and gi ls, se e as a global commi men o comba hese issues [5].
Posi ions such as uni e si y Chancello , Vice Chancello , Depu y Vice Chancello , Deans o Schools and Di ec o s o Ins i u es
emain p edominan ly in he hands o men a e he domain o male academics. P o esso ial posi ons and Senio lec u e s in he
majo i y, hese anks a e domina ed by male academics in sou he n A ica despi e he inc ease in he numbe o emale s uden s in
almos all uni e si ies.
METHODOLOGY
This was pu ely desk e iew o jou nal a icles and esea ch epo s conduc ed in di e en uni e si ies unde s udy. Documen s
con aining ele an o impo an in o ma ion we e used as sou ces o da a. Reco ds om uni e si ies in o ms o s a is ical epo s
we e collec ed and analyzed o he pu poses o compa ing wha changes in numbe s had aken place in di e en uni e si ies
be ween he male and emale s uden s. Non p ima y da a was collec ed bu only seconda y ma e ials used in w i ing he a icle.
GENDER INEQUALITIES IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS
O e many decades o hea y campaigns o he gende pa i y and gende equali y in schools, colleges and uni e si ies ca ied ou
by local o ganiza ions and a imes h ough go e nmen policies and p og ammes, he numbe o emale s uden s has been inc easing
and a imes in some uni e si ies igu es going beyond he gende pa i y le els. These e o s ha e been ein o ced by in e na ional
commi men s o gende equali y such as he Uni ed Na ions MDGS and SDGS which ha e been ully implemen ed by go e nmen s
whose objec i e was o inc ease he numbe o emale lea ne s in ins i u ions o lea ning. The concep o gende equali y has been
suppo ed by UNESCO’s Global Educa ion 2030 Agenda, which calls o inclusi e and equi able educa ion o all, wi hou any
o m o disc imina ion [6].
Da a om uni e si ies in Sou he n A ica speci ically om coun ies such as Bo swana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Sou h A ica and
Namibia does indica e ha he e a e new gende inequali ies in some ins i u ions o lea ning whe e male s uden s ha e been
ou numbe ed by emale s uden s in e ms o he popula ion o o al popula ions o lea ne s. The ables below show he si ua ion o
male and emale s uden s a some uni e si ies in Sou he n A ica showing yea s o en olmen s and he numbe s o s uden s b oke
down in o male and emale ca ego ies. These a e g oss popula ions wi hou disagg ega ion in o p og ammes which he s uden s a e
pu suing.
(I) UNIVERSITIES IN ZAMBIA
Zambia has bo h p i a e and Public Uni e si ies o e ing di e en cou ses om unde g adua e o pos g adua e cou ses. The e a e
mo e P i a e han Public Uni e si ies in Zambia and ha he o al [popula ion o s uden s in p i a e Uni e si y is highe han ha
o Public Uni e si ies. Table 1 below shows ha he emale s uden popula ion in P i a e Uni e si ies is highe han ha o male
s uden s by 1% while in Public Uni e si ies, he male s uden s ou numbe emale s uden s by abou 4% in Zambia. Table2 shows
he si ua ion in Uni e si ies in Bo swana whe e he e a e wide gende gaps in all p og ammes and in all uni e si ies whe he Public
o p i a e uni e si ies and o he e ia y ins i u ions. The able below shows ha he emale s uden s a e he majo i y in all
p og ammes. The able shows ha in bo h P i a e and public Uni e si ies, mo e han 60% o he s uden popula ion a e emale
In e na ional Jou nal o Cu en Science Resea ch and Re iew
ISSN: 2581-8341
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DOI: 10.47191/ijcs /V8-i11-27, Impac Fac o : 8.048
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s uden s and in echnical colleges, 50.4% o he s uden s a e emale s uden s and his is almos he gende pa i y a ion whe e he
male s uden s a e almos 50% in e ms o ep esen a ion.
Table 1: S uden s Bo h Unde g adua e and Pos G adua e In Bo h Public and P i a e Uni e si ies in Zambia in 2020.
TYPE OF
UNIVERSITY
MALE
FEMALE
TOTAL
% MALE
% FEMALE
% TOTAL
PUBLIC
30, 703
25, 760
56, 463
24.2
20.3
44.5
PRIVATE
34, 598
35, 678
70, 276
27.3
28.2
55.5
TOTAL
65, 301
61, 438
126, 739
51.5
48.5
100.0
Sou ce: HEA s a us o highe educa ion in Zambia in 2020.
Table 1 shows he si ua ion o en ollmen s a bo h public and p i a e uni e si ies in Zambia. The emale s uden s in public
uni e si ies we e (45.6%) while he male popula ion o s uden s was highe han ha o emales a (54.4%). The si ua ion in P i a e
Uni e si ies shows ha emale s uden s we e he majo i y (51%) while male s uden s we e (49%) o he o al s uden popula ion.
The Zambian si ua ion as a 2020 en ollmen showed ha he public uni e si ies had a gende gap o 8% while he P i a e
uni e si ies had mo e emale s uden s (51%) han male s uden s (49%) acco ding o able 1 abo e. Howe e , he o al popula ion o
emale s uden s (48.5%) in bo h public and P i a e Uni e si ies was lowe han ha o male s uden s (51.5%). This means ha as a
he yea 2020, he e we e mo e male s uden s in bo h public and p i a e Uni e si ies in Zambia, despi e he ac han p i a e
uni e si ies as a ca ego y had mo e emale s uden s han male s uden s. One o he causes o emale unde ep esen a ion in Public
Uni e si iesin Zambia could be open disc imina ion igh a en ollmen le el [7]. One obse a ion om esea ch is ha o gende -
based disc imina ion in admissions. Some s udies which explo ed he admissions p ocess in Sou he n A ican uni e si ies ound
ha disc imina o y admission p ac ices disp opo iona ely a ec emale applican s. Admission commi ees o en a o male
candida es, despi e he ac ha emale applican s may ha e simila o e en supe io quali ica ions [8]. This could be one o he
many ac o s which has nega i ely a ec ed he numbe o emale s uden s in public uni e si ies a he le el o en ollmen s.
Fu he , some schola s a gue ha sexual ha assmen is p e alen in uni e si ies and does c ea e a e y unsa e lea ning en i onmen
in e ia y ins i u ions and becomes one o he d i e s o gende inequali y. These schola s ha e poin ed ou ha emale s uden s
o en ace sexual ha assmen and assaul , which can c ea e an unsa e lea ning en i onmen and hinde hei academic p og ess.
Add essing gende inequali y in Sou he n A ican e ia y ins i u ions equi es comp ehensi e policy changes and cul u al shi s o
challenge biases and s e eo ypes. Ini ia i es p omo ing di e si y, inclusion, and gende -sensi i e educa ion a e essen ial. Despi e
he exis ence o policies ha a e co ec i e measu es aken by some uni e si ies in comba ing sexual ha assmen , he scou ge s ill
con inues and he mos a ec ed a e he emale s uden s who a e ei he ha assed by membe s o s a o ellow s uden s. A imes
lack o knowledge on he exis ence o hese policies and epo ing mechanisms by emale s uden s compounds he si ua ion o sexual
ha assmen and c ea es unsa e lea ning en i onmen s in ins i u ions which in i sel a ec s p og ession pa icula ly in p og ammes
which a e male domina ed.
(II) UNIVERSITIES IN BOTSWANA
Table 2 below shows he si ua ion o s uden s in di e en e ia y ins i u ions in Bo swana du ing he 2019/2020 in ake. Te ia y
educa ion in Bo swana is domina ed by emale s uden s in bo h go e nmen and P i a e ins i u ions o lea ning. I is also peculia
o no e ha almos all academic p og ammes a e domina ed by emale s uden s. These inequali ies sugges ha he e a e mo e male
s uden s in seconda y schools as well as p ima y schools because his is he ese oi whe e e ia y ins i u ions d aw hei s uden s’
popula ions om. Below is able 2 which shows gende inequali ies in all ins i u ions o leaning a e ia y le el in Bo swana.
In e na ional Jou nal o Cu en Science Resea ch and Re iew
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DOI: 10.47191/ijcs /V8-i11-27, Impac Fac o : 8.048
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Table 2: The Uni e si ies in Bo swana 2019/2020 En olmen a Te ia y Le el
TYPE OF
INSTITUTION
FEMALE
MALE
TOTAL
% FEMALE
P i a e Ins i u ions
6, 205
3, 957
10, 162
61.1
P i a e
Uni e si ies
5,284
4,159
9, 443
56.0
Colleges o
educa ion
961
448
1, 409
68.2
Ins i u e p Heal h
Sciences
805
424
1, 229
65.5
Technical Colleges
1,002
986
1, 988
50.4
Public Ins i u ions
6,087
3,518
9, 605
63.4
Public Uni e si ies
14,1`61
8, 669
22, 830
62.0
To al
34,505
23,161
56,666
60.9
Sou ce: Te ia y Educa ion S a is ics 2020
Table 2 abo e shows ha he e we e mo e emale s uden s in all e ia y ins i u ions ep esen ed abo e in Bo swana. The emale
s uden s a e o e ep esen ed in bo h P i a e and Public Uni e si ies and ha in all colleges despi e specializa ion o he college o
ins i u e. The gende inequali ies in Bo swana e ia y ins i u ions show ha he male s uden s a e unde ep esen ed in all colleges
and uni e si ies. This is di e en om he Zambia Si ua ion whe e he emale s uden s a e a sligh majo i y (51%) in P i a e
Uni e si ies bu a e unde ep esen ed in Public o Go e nmen Uni e si ies. Thus, in Bo swana, he male s uden s a e
unde ep esen ed in colleges and Uni e si ies which could be e lec ing he ac ha hese inequali ies do s em om he p ima y o
seconda y schools and con inue o e ia y le els. F om he o al s uden en olmen o 56,666 in 2020, he gende pa i y index was
a 1.6 (The Gende Pa i y Index (GPI) measu es p og ess owa ds gende pa i y in educa ion pa icipa ion and lea ning oppo uni ies
a ailable o women in ela ion o hose a ailable o men). The numbe indica es ahighe numbe o emales (0.6) han o males
en olled in he e ia y ins i u ions. T ends in Gende Pa i y Index o he pe iod 2013 o 2020 shows ha he index has been in
a ou o emales. The highes index (1.6) was eco ded in 2020, i.e. a o al o hund ed and six y (160) emales we e en olled agains
e e y one hund ed (100) males. I also shows a sligh inc emen o 0.1 compa ed o he p e ious yea . The inc ease was mainly
a ibu ed o (among o he s) he inc ease o emale s uden s en olled o s udy in echnical colleges which wen om 657(42.5
pe cen ) in 2019 o 1,002 (50.4 pe cen ) in 2020 [9]. The e is a consis en inc ease in he numbe o emale s uden s in he
Uni e si ies and o he e ia y ins i u ions in Bo swana and his is ega dless o he p og amme ha is being pu sued. The challenge
in o gende equali y in Bo swana is o inc ease and he numbe o male s uden s in uni e si ies who a e he unde ep esen ed
gende . Female s uden s a e he majo i y in all p og ammes including STEM p og ammes as indica ed in able 2 abo e. This could
be a ibu ed o gende ela ed disc imina ion agains male pupils and s uden s in he educa ion sec o as well as domes ic sphe e
when i comes o issues su ounding o mal educa ion. I is highly likely ha some economic ac i i ies ha e nega i ely a ec ed he
pa icipa ion o male child en in educa ion. This is could be one o he main easons why he e a e ewe male s uden s han emale
s uden s in e ia y ins i u ions o lea ning in Bo swana. This u he ansla es in o he ac ha he e would be mo e emale
p o essionals unning he indus ies and o he ins i u ions ha equi e uni e si y educa ion in e ms o aining o e ec i e
ope a ions.
(III) UNIVERSITIES IN ZIMBABWE
The Zimbabwean si ua ion in e ms o gende inequali ies among s uden s in e ia y ins i u ionsis no di e en om ha o
Bo swana because he e a e mo e emale s uden s han male s uden s in Zimbabwean Uni e si ies. Table 3 below shows ha om
2018 o 2020 uni e si y en ollmen s; he e we e mo e emale s uden s in di e en uni e si ies bo h Public and p i a e uni e si ies
in Zimbabwe. Obse a ions by some schola s conce ning he Zimbabwean si ua ion in e ms o gende inequali ies among s uden s
indica e ha “In mos o he uni e si ies, en olmen s a e in a o o emales. I is impo an o no e ha he e a e mo e males han
emales in uni e si ies ha ha e special manda es o o e ing aining in science and echnology. In 2020, emales cons i u ed 355
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DOI: 10.47191/ijcs /V8-i11-27, Impac Fac o : 8.048
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o he en olmen a he Manicaland S a e Uni e si y o Technology; 39 % a he Ha a e Ins i u e o Technology; 44% a he
Ma onde a Uni e si y o Ag icul u al Sciences and Technology and 44% a he Na ional Uni e si y o Science and Technology.
Women s uden s also domina e a eache aining colleges. In 2019, hese colleges ec ui ed 5, 546 men compa ed o 18, 491
emales/women, while in 2020, 18, 639 women and 5, 442 men we e en olled [10]. The obse a ion is ha while he e a e mo e
emale s uden s in o al popula ions in uni e si ies, he e is a bias in science cou ses whe e he male s uden s a e he majo i y. Table
3 below shows he abo e obse a ions in di e en en ollmen yea s in uni e si ies:
Table 3: En ollmen s in Zimbabwean Uni e si ies om 2018 o 2020
Yea
Male
Female
To al
2018
43, 432
50,699
94,101
2019
51, 535
60,149
111, 684
2020
53, 699
62, 629
116,328
To al
148,666
173,477
322,143
Zimbabwean na ional S a is ics Agency 2021.
Fu he obse a ions by some esea che s a e ha “The end was he opposi e a echnical and oca ional colleges whe e male
s uden s domina ed he en ollmen igu es. In 2018, 15, 026 men en olled compa ed o 9, 337 women. In 2019, 19, 499 men we e
ec ui ed compa ed o 15, 437 women. The same end pe sis ed in 2020 (18, 647 men and 14, 062 women). In some p og ammes
howe e , mo e women en olled han men” [10]. The obse a ion is a con inual ise in he numbe o emale s uden s in uni e si ies
in Zimbabwe igh om he en ollmen s age. This pe sis ence o gende inequali y a en ollmen le el disad an ages he male
s uden s in all uni e si ies and is a u u e p oblem laying in wai ing. Gende pa i y Howe e , he e has been pe sis en gende
inequali ies in STEM p og ammes in di e en uni e si ies in he Coun y. The Wo ld Economic Fo um epo ed ha “despi e
go e nmen ini ia i es o educe gende dispa i ies in highe educa ion in Zimbabwe, pe sis en gaps emain pa icula ly in Science,
Technology, Enginee ing, and Ma hema ics (STEM) ela ed ields. Only 19% o emale s uden s a e en olled in STEM compa ed
wi h 39% male s uden ” [11]. These gende gaps sugges ha he e we e ewe emale pupils in seconda y schools who we e s udying
and passing STEM subjec s e y well compa ed o he male pupils. In o he wo ds, as long as he seconda y schools a e male
domina ed in STEM subjec s, he gende inequali ies in STEM p og amme in e ia y ins i u ions will emain unchanged and
unchallenged.
Numbe o S uden s in Sou h A ican Uni e si ies in 2022
SEX
TOTAL
Females
6,637, 036
Males
6, 732, 935
TOTAL
13,419,971
Sou ce: Na alie Cowling 2023
UNISA: The numbe o emale s uden s has shown a yea -on-yea g ow h and cu en ly emales accoun o 63% o he s uden
popula ion [12].
(IV) NAMIBIAN UNIVERSITIES
Al oge he he Uni e si y o Namibia will his yea g adua e 4 401 s uden s, o whom 2 985 a e emale, while male g adua es a e 1
416. The no he n campuses’ g adua ion was held a Ongwedi a’s T ade Fai Cen e yes e day. Unam Vice-Chancello P o esso
Kenne h Ma engu, du ing his add ess, ques ioned whe e he boy child is and asked socie y o e ospec i ely in e oga e why many
boys do no make i o uni e si y.
The obse a ions om he able below show ha he e we e mo e emale s uden s in uni e si ies in Namibia and ew male s uden s.
The sou ce o s uden s which ae he seconda y schools and o he lowe none deg ee o e ing colleges and ins i u es seem o ha e
mo e emale s uden s han male s uden s. This is u he e lec ed I he s a emen by he Vice Chancello who encou aged socie y
o in ospec and ind ou wha was going on wi h he male child who does no each uni e si y educa ion.
In e na ional Jou nal o Cu en Science Resea ch and Re iew
ISSN: 2581-8341
Volume 08 Issue 11 No embe 2025
DOI: 10.47191/ijcs /V8-i11-27, Impac Fac o : 8.048
IJCSRR @ 2025
www.ijcs .o g
5714 *Co esponding Au ho : Roy Kalinda Volume 08 Issue 11 No embe 2025
A ailable a : www.ijcs .o g
Page No. 5709-5715
G adua ing S uden s in Namibia om Uni e si ies In 2022
UNIVERSITY
FEMALE
MALE
TOTAL
Uni e si y o Namibia
2,985
1,416
4,401
No he n Campuses(Oshaka i,
Ogongo, Jose Edua do dos San os,
Hi ikepunyePohamba Campuses0
504
230
734
To al
3, 489
1, 646
5,135
Sou ce: ONGWEDIVA 2022
The commen s om he ice chancello du ing he g adua ion ce emony a he Uni e si y o Namibia echoed sen imen s o
disapp o al o gende inequali ies which we e aking he cen e s age in almos all uni e si ies in he coun y and he poin ed ou
ha “Al oge he he Uni e si y o Namibia will his yea g adua e 4 401 s uden s, o whom 2, 985 a e emale, while male g adua es
a e 1 416. UNAM (Uni e si y o Namibia) Vice-Chancello P o esso Kenne h Ma engu, du ing his add ess, ques ioned whe e he
boy child is and asked socie y o e ospec i ely in e oga e why many boys do no make i o uni e si y [13]. This was a conce n
aised a he g adua ion ce emony which ques ioned he whe eabou s o he male s uden s in uni e si ies in Namibia and wonde ed
wha could be he causes o he absence o less numbe s o male s uden s in uni e si ies in he coun y. This obse a ion applies o
some coun ies in Sou he n A ica whe e numbe s o emale s uden s in uni e si ies and colleges a e ising highe han he numbe s
o male s uden s.
CONCLUSION
The e ha e been a g owing numbe o emale s uden s in uni e si ies in he abo e selec ed coun ies in sou he n A ica. The o al
numbe o emale s uden s in almos all uni e si ies has su passed ha o male s uden s apa om Zambia whe e he male s uden
popula ion is highe han ha o he emale popula ion. I can equally be s a ed ha in he abo e selec ed coun ies as a whole, he
popula ion o emale s uden s is highe han ha o male s uden s. And e en in Zambia, he o al numbe o emale s uden s in
P i a e uni e si ies is highe han he o al numbe o male s uden s and also p edic ed ha he e is a high likelihood ha he numbe
o emale s uden s would su pass ha o male s uden s in he public Uni e si ies in Zambia in he coming ew yea s.
Howe e , he e is a clea and wide gende inequali y in he p og ammes such as Science, Technology, Enginee ing and Ma hema ics.
Howe e , obse a ions in all Uni e si ies a e ha e en in hese p og ammes (STEM), he e a e a numbe o emale s uden s and
ha his numbe has been inc easing o e yea s and he e is a likelihood ha in some coun ies. Fo ins ance, in Zimbabwean
Colleges and Uni e si ies o Science and echnology, he e a e ai ly high pe cen ages o emale s uden s ep esen ed in he science
and echnology cou ses.
The ac o s a ibu ed o inc ease in emale s uden s in uni e si ies a e many and he majo one is he con inued campaigns o
emale educa ion pa icula ly in coun ies such as Zambia, Zimbabwe and Sou h A ica. Fo decades, he educa ion o gi ls om
p ima y o e ia y le els we e he main conce ns o many local NGOs and in e na ional o ganiza ions which inc eased awa eness
le els and pu in measu es o he e en ion o gi ls in schools wi hou co esponding in e en ions on he educa ion o boys. This
lack o gende balanced app oach which was sus ained o decades could be esponsible o gende inequali ies which cu en ly
show he inc ease in he numbe o emale s uden s in colleges and uni e si ies. The e ha e been no e ec i e and wide sp ead
in e en ions on he educa ion o boys while EFA goals, MDGS, and SDGS all ha e in e en ions which ha e emphasize he
impo ance o gi ls’ educa ion a di e en le els o educa ion.
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ISSN: 2581-8341
Volume 08 Issue 11 No embe 2025
DOI: 10.47191/ijcs /V8-i11-27, Impac Fac o : 8.048
IJCSRR @ 2025
www.ijcs .o g
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