Authors : Mohammad Osiur Rahman , Md. Moynul Hossain , Mohammad Mahabubur Rahman and Muhammad Yeasin Arafat
Abstract: The main focus point of this study is gender equity regarding computer science studies. For this purpose here discusses an attitudinal survey, among science and commerce students at public and private universities of Bangladesh, whose aim was to determine why fewer females than males register for Computer Science. We applied simple random sampling method on the collected survey data in order to measure formal and informal exposure to computers, usage, confidence, and family role models as well as general attitudes to computers and computer science. From the survey report it has been found that a lot of reasons why are there so few female computer science students in Bangladesh. Such as different expectations from the males and females creates different atmosphere for both the sexes. Parents are more concern about their males than females particularly in terms of study and career. They (parents) do sometimes give their sons choice to be a computer graduate. On the other hand females are being treated burden for so many families especially in rural areas. In some cases early (Child) marriage is practicing. Government`s responsibility is unremarkable. Lacking of proper initiative from the Government side failed to attract female students to continue undergraduate level study let alone CS study. Financial matter is one of the vital constrains as a family may be generous for the males but not as much as for the females. Important results are that males registered for Computer Science have more informal exposure to computers, less formal exposure and more confidence than females registered for Computer Science. At last this study recommends some necessary steps how to increase the female students in Computer Science and Engineering in Bangladesh and some International laws regarding gender equity in ICT sector and deficit of implementations of those laws in Bangladesh.
Mohammad Osiur Rahman , Md. Moynul Hossain , Mohammad Mahabubur Rahman and Muhammad Yeasin Arafat , 2005. Bangladesh: In Quest of Gender Equality in IT Field . Asian Journal of Information Technology, 4: 62-68.