Checkmating Women Participation in Mathematics and Social Sciences in Higher Education, from 2016 -2023

Women have been relegated due to the socio- political crisis in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon. The main aim of this article was to investigate the participation of women in mathematics and social sciences in the University of Bamenda, from 2016- 2023. The objectives of the study were to checkmate the extent of women participation in mathematics and social sciences during the period following the Anglophone crisis; the gender differences in the participation of teachers and teacher- researchers in mathematics and social sciences: The design of the study was descriptive. The population of the study was all the teachers and researchers of the University of Bamenda of the 2022/2023 academic session, which numbered 710. The sample was all the teachers and researchers in mathematics and social sciences of the University of Bamenda of the 2022/ 2023 academic session, which numbered 230. The instrument for data collection was a questionnaire developed by the researchers. Two experts from mathematics and social sciences validated it and the reliability was established using Cronbach alpha with a reliability coefficient of 0.81. Four research questions and three hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The data collected was analyzed using percentages. The findings of the study revealed that: the number of women involved in mathematics and social sciences was very insignificant; also, gender differences exist in mathematics education and social sciences in favour of men. The following recommendations were made: to close the gender gap during the recruitment of teachers for mathematics and social sciences, considerations should be given to the women folk given that more men apply. In addition, women researchers in mathematics education and social sciences can be motivated by offering them scholarships and funding so that the younger generations will be encouraged to participate in these fields.