About the Programme


Launched in 2019, the Digital Literacy Programme is tailor-made for disadvantaged parents and their daughters (senior primary students) with the aim to debunk parent’s negative stereotypes that STEM skills, subjects and careers are more suitable for boys; enhance their tech-related knowledge; and better enable parents to foster their daughters’ interest in and confidence around STEM topics early on.

TWF’s research on “Gender Differences in Hong Kong's STEM Education” revealed that girls are four times less likely to pursue STEM-related careers than boys. They take fewer STEM-related electives in the DSE curriculum and are more likely to drop out of the STEM pipeline than their male counterparts.

STEM education is rapidly evolving but many parents, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, are missing out on these developments. Many parents – particularly those from blue collar backgrounds and / or those with lower levels of education – do not recognise the importance of STEM and cling to negative stereotypes that STEM subjects are more suitable for boys, which discourages girl’s interest in STEM[1].​ Parents have significant influence over their daughters’ selection of subjects, but they may be unaware of the variety of jobs available in STEM fields and the benefits that pursuing these types of careers offer[2].

 

Programme Objectives

  • To empower disadvantaged parents with:
    1. fundamental digital literacy skills to support their daughters to fulfil personal potential in an increasingly technology-driven world
    2. relevant parenting skills to instil their kids with a positive and responsible attitude towards internet usage
    3. basic employability skills to increase their competitiveness in the labour market
  • To foster disadvantaged girls’ interest and exposure in STEM at an early stage
  • To shift society’s perception of STEM as a male domain 
  • To inspire participants to continue their learning after the workshops
 

[1] Yeung, Dannii and Mario Liong, City University of Hong Kong. Girls and STEM Education in Hong Kong, commissioned by The Women’s Foundation, 2017.

[2] Chan, Anita and Adam Cheung, The Education University of Hong Kong: Gender Differences in Hong Kong's STEM Education, commissioned by The Women’s Foundation, 2018

Digital Literacy Programme

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