This study established gender disparities of students enrolled in the chemistry undergraduate degree courses and their completion rate in government universities in Uganda. A survey was conducted among head of chemistry departments and students enrolled for chemistry undergraduate students in five public government universities in Uganda.  A sample size of 5 heads of Chemistry Departments and 87 students enrolled for a Bachelor of Industrial Chemistry, Bachelor Science-Chemistry and Bachelor of Science -Education Chemistry were administered semi-structured questionnaires.  The results showed between 2016-2019, five universities enrolled between 312-412 students (Mean 393) and female students accounted for 25% of enrollment per academic year. Female students also accounted for 32% and 31% of those enrolled for government and private sponsorship respectively. The factors that influenced students’ choices to enroll for under graduate chemistry degree courses were; passion for chemistry (62%) that registered a majority of respondents that reported to strongly agree, followed by knowledgeable on post education career (44%), with females accounting for 31% and 18% of the former and latter respectively.  Majority of students strongly disagree that that affordable fees for the course influenced their choices. However, chi-square analysis found significant gender differences for knowledge of post education career (t (87) = –12.93, p = 0.02) and the current job market for chemists (t (87) = 18.40, p = 0.002]. Multinominal logistic regression analysis showed that advice from a teacher was like to influence female students to agree to enroll for the course, but strongly disagree for motivation by a professional chemist.  The challenges faced by students in their high schools were; inadequate trained chemistry teachers (32%) followed by inadequate or limited chemistry practical (18%) and poor chemistry teaching methods (17%). Low female enrollments were influenced by their low intake of chemistry subject in high school. But in the university, challenges faced by female students were; general perception of the course to be for males (12.6%), low esteem among female students (12.6%) followed by sexual harassment (9.2%).   To increase female enrollment in undergraduate chemistry courses, there is need to establish a female scholarship, mentor female students, offer career guidance, improve the teaching methods for chemistry in high school.

Gender disparities in undergraduate chemistry degree course enrollment in Uganda

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