Analysis of Gender Gaps in STEM Career Interest Among Secondary School Students in North East Nigeria: A Multi-State Study

This study analysed gender gaps in STEM career interest among senior secondary students across the North East geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Despite national initiatives promoting girl-child STEM participation, gender disparities in career aspiration persist in the North East, where socio-cultural, security, and economic variables compound the challenge. A multi-state descriptive comparative design was employed. A stratified sample of 720 SS2 students, balanced across gender, was drawn from secondary schools in Adamawa, Borno, Bauchi, Yobe, Gombe, and Taraba States. A validated STEM Career Interest Inventory and a Gender Role Attitude Scale were administered, with reliability coefficients of 0.83 and 0.79. MANOVA and chi-square tests were used for multi-group comparison. Results showed that male students consistently reported higher STEM career interest than female students across all six states, with the gap largest in Physics-related and engineering career categories. Female students showed comparative parity with males in health science and agricultural science career interest. Gender role conservatism was a significant negative moderator of female STEM career interest. Recommendations included gender-targeted career counselling, mentoring networks connecting female students to STEM professionals, and advocacy campaigns addressing restrictive gender role norms in North East communities. Keywords: gender gaps, STEM career interest, North East Nigeria, secondary students, gender role attitudes.