Challenges and prospects of STEM education for girls in Bangladesh from primary to higher secondary levels

STEM education plays a critical role in fostering innovation and driving economic development in Bangladesh. Ensuring gender equity in STEM from early education is essential for building a skilled and competitive workforce in the 21st century. However, girls encounter numerous obstacles in accessing STEM education across all academic levels. This study investigates the perceptions of female students, parents, educators, and policymakers concerning the challenges, opportunities, and roles of girls in STEM. Identified barriers include pervasive gender stereotypes, restrictive social norms, inadequate infrastructure, and lack of female role models, early marriage, and weak policy implementation. Nonetheless, interventions such as government scholarships, NGO-led programs, awareness campaigns, and teacher training initiatives are working to enhance female participation. Employing a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from 60 students, 40 parents, 20 teachers, and 5 policymakers in both rural and urban settings through surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions, supplemented by secondary data analysis.