The Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (MoHERST), in partnership with the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), is making significant strides in promoting gender equality within the country’s tertiary and higher educational institutions. As part of a comprehensive initiative to implement the Gender Scorecard, MoHERST recently conducted a pivotal Scoring Workshop.

The workshop, held on Tuesday, 26th March, 2024, at the Ministry’s conference hall in Bijilo, aimed to foster gender mainstreaming across tertiary and higher educational institutions. To kickstart this initiative, MoHERST conducted an internal survey, inviting participation from various stakeholders, including Human Resource Managers from satellite institutions.

Utilizing the online Lime Survey semantic self-assessment tool, the survey provided valuable insights into organizational policies and practices related to gender mainstreaming. The survey consisted of 34 meticulously crafted questions, covering crucial aspects of gender equality such as inclusive language, communication accessibility, commitment to gender equality, recruitment practices, employee assessment, promotion fairness, professional development opportunities, equal compensation policies, harassment prevention, and support for work-life balance and family.

Following the successful completion of the survey, MoHERST convened a dynamic Scoring Workshop, informed by survey findings, aimed at collaboratively evaluating institutional performance and developing strategies for gender mainstreaming. Participants were divided into groups during the workshop to facilitate discussions on each indicator, sharing comments and observations before assigning scores. The outcome of the workshop is expected to serve as a roadmap for participating institutions, guiding their journey towards comprehensive gender mainstreaming.

MoHERST remains committed to fostering inclusive educational environments, and initiatives like the Gender Scorecard illustrate its dedication to advancing gender equality within the tertiary and higher education sector.