FAWE is inviting educators, students, researchers, business and industry leaders, scientists and
representatives of non-profit, private, and public agencies to submit abstracts for consideration.
Interested applicants should focus on one of the following five sub-themes:-.
i. Increasing girls’ participation in STEM – STEM pervades every part of our lives and STEM careers
are often referred to as the jobs of the future, pay higher, drive innovation, social wellbeing,
inclusive growth and sustainable development (UNESCO, 2017) yet, girls still remain under
represented in STEM subjects. FAWE is interested in innovations that would increase girls’
participation and performance in STEM. The conference will critically evaluate impact, point at
innovations and trends for improvements.

ii. Responsive and Quality Technical and Vocational Education (TVET): African Union implores its
members to innovate ways to create decent jobs for all in the future. The conference will explore
glaring gaps that impede success in TVET and show case the work of the youth. There will be
specific focus to provide practical examples related to quality, relevance, and employability;
curriculum and training; academic and physical infrastructure development; instruction materials,
training equipment and tools; TVET management and institutional leadership; partnerships and
linkages with industry and the private sector; attractiveness of TVET; TVET strategy and policy
formulation; financing; gender equality; and knowledge management.

iii. Teacher Capacity building (Gender Responsive Pedagogy) for STEM: Countries in sub-Saharan
Africa are confronted with the formidable challenge of realizing quality, inclusive and equitable
education for social transformation and development. FAWE will be interested in papers that
explore innovations that governments in Africa must adopt to further address gender disparities
in education. The conference will discuss successes of GRP in STEM and inclusive strategies such
as curriculum reviews to include a gender lens, rewriting textbooks to remove gender
stereotypes, creating gender-responsive school environments, constructing separate sanitary
facilities for boys and girls, promoting sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education and
recruiting more female teachers to achieve gender balance.

iv. Education Policies for STEM: Having gender responsive policies in a number of African countries
and governments committing to supporting and promoting women’s education has not
necessarily translated to the aspired action. FAWE is interested in strategies that translate STEM
policies into action and benefits thereto.

v. Lessons and opportunities on education management during a pandemic: The impact of the
Corona Virus (COVID-19) is so far one of the most devastating pandemics in the world that has
affected learning leading to low learning outcomes, high dropout rates and low resilience to
shocks.

Hard-won gains in access to education could stagnate or reverse with extended school
closure. Girls and young women are particularly vulnerable due to increased exposure to risks of
sexual exploitation, child labor, child marriage and early pregnancy just to mention a few. FAWE
is interested in discussions on preparedness and gender responsive approaches during the crisis
in the education sector.

Evaluation of Abstracts: Abstracts will be peer reviewed and successful writers will be invited to develop
full papers for presentation at the conference. The papers should articulate novel, relevant and viable
ideas that contribute to implementation of effective policies and programme approaches for girls’
acquisition of 21st Century skills in line with the themes indicated above.
Submission guidelines:

The length of the abstracts should be a maximum of 1000 words excluding references/bibliography. The
recommended font type is Calibri Body and the size should be 12. Margins should be normal that is 2.54
cm all round and line spacing 1.15. Language will be French and English. The abstracts MUST include
name(s), affiliations and contact details of the author(s).
Abstracts should be addressed to the Executive Director with Subject: FAWE Conference on Girls’
education in Africa, 2020 emailed to stem@fawe.org and received not later than Friday 24th July