The Scottish Executive has been accused of complacency
in promoting IT as a career option for girls, after figures
revealed that females are losing interest in the subject as they go
through school.
Figures from the Scottish Qualifications Authority revealed that
36% of candidates who sat the standard grade computing studies exam
in 2005 were female. But the ratio dropped to 24% at higher grade,
and less than 14% at advanced higher level - lower than the
proportion of women sitting these exams in 1999.
Defending the figures, Scottish education minister Peter Peacock
said the Scottish Executive aimed to promote equal access to all
curriculum subjects.
But his response was criticised by member of the Scottish
parliament Shona Robison. "Simply ensuring equal access to IT
training in schools is a world away from promoting interest. The
minister's apparent satisfaction with the status quo saddens me and
risks seeing Scotland fall behind our international competitors,"
she said.
Robison said the perception that computing was not for women
needed to be tackled at an early age in schools. "Many barriers
have been broken down in female employment but it seems that for
whatever reason, when it comes to computing, girls are deciding to
stand back," she said.