Authors: Mercy A Iroaganachi, Christopher Nkiko, A Eni

Background: With the level of efforts and interventions by researchers and organizations around the world towards gender equality in Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM), the number of women participation is still very low. UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2015) revealed that female representation is only about 30% of the total population in STEM while in Africa it is about 17%(Ekine, 2013). This statistics, raises the question of what could be responsible for the resistant disparity? Could it be that girls at the foundational level do not have adequate career information about STEM and all it entails? What are their perceptions of Mathematics and sciences, are there some demographic issues? There is need to discover what the real causes of gender disparity in mathematics and sciences are from the junior secondary school, a period that precedes the choice subjects that form studentes career paths. This will provide an empirical basis for effectively bridging the gender gap in STEM in Nigeria thereby building and releasing the necessary latent human resources to sustain development and compete in the global economy as well as ensuring inclusivity of girls and women. Ekine (2013) affirmed that a countryes ability to secure good health, fight diseases, protect the environment, produce food for its people, and develop new industries and technologies is dependent on the scientific knowledge and skills of its people. Consequently, more women are needed in STEM to be active participants in scientific development particularly in health related issues, application and decision-making thus, ensuring that scientific initiatives are …