Tekno Presyensya showcases women in leadership, promotes advancement in gender equality through science education
The fourth episode of the weekly radio program, “Tekno Presyensya: Syensya ken Teknolohiya para Kadagiti Umili”, hosted by the Department of Science and Technology Region 1 (DOST-I) and in collaboration with DZAG Radyo Pilipinas Agoo, featured Dr. Ronnalee N. Orteza, Campus Director of the Philippine Science High School – Ilocos Region Campus (PSHS-IRC).
The episode, that aired on March 16, 2023, via Zoom and streamed live via the DOST Region I and DZAG Facebook pages, highlighted her thoughts and insights on advancing gender equality through science education.
In line with the celebration of the National Women’s Month last March, Dr. Orteza presented the importance of promoting gender equality in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). She noted that in the DOST hymn lyrics, it was emphasized that “ang siyensya’y sandigan ng maunlad na bayan”. This is a reminder that science holds a vital role in achieving national progress and development where progress knows no gender and science does not serve a specific gender. “Science and Technology should not be a battleground between sexes of who is better or who’s not, or who has offered more, or who has less. But science should be a melting pot of ideas coming from people of different fields and backgrounds, and different sexes,” she explained.
She further reiterated that it is necessary to understand and identify the gender gaps in science education to provide appropriate solutions. She presented various data where gender gaps were very imminent, where women are under-represented both in global and local settings.
At the PSHS Ilocos Region Campus, young women are highly encouraged to indulge in STEM activities in achieving gender equality through science education. Dr. Orteza showed different data and graphs for the different gender roles, like in leadership and in the STEM fields where it showed that the ratio between men and women remained uneven, with men are still ahead based on the reports. On the other hand, Dr. Orteza stated that in some data women are ahead in some courses like Agriculture, Arts & Humanities, Education, Health & Welfare, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences,
through the midst of male dominance. She further said that in today’s time we are slowly going there in our goal to achieve gender equality in all aspects and not just in science education.
Dr. Orteza also stated that “Gender Equality starts at home” and she encouraged parents to show and promote gender equality to topple down gender discrimination by making our young ones realize that men and women are all capable of doing tasks.
Dr. Orteza further gave her message to her fellow educators to give everyone equal opportunities for both genders to participate in STEM activities. She encouraged also the parents to try and enroll in PSHS-Ilocos Region Campus as they have their system for promoting gender equality, like training offered for both gender and inviting female scientists as guest speakers to encourage and empower young women in taking up STEM Fields. But she stressed that they also invite male guest speakers in the Education course field to break down the stigma of classifying courses based on gender, and they also collaborate with different social media influencers or agencies to promote gender equality as they want to reach out to more people in attaining and promoting gender equality through science and education.
With the role played by and mentorship of Dr. Orteza and the PSHS-Ilocos Region campus, gender equality is strongly promoted through science education. This initiative is shared to the entire DOST system, with all attached agencies and regional offices, implementing various initiatives to break stereotypes and the stigma of classified gender roles. This shared advocacy is fully supported by the DOST to foster unity in achieving more success together, as leadership is not only for men but, it is also for our women, as we say “Hindi sila babae lang, Sila ay Babae”. (By Christian Dominic Casimiro, DOST-I)
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