Coding Clubs and Curricular Pathways: A Longitudinal Analysis of Girls' STEM Subject Uptake in Kigali Secondary Schools

Abstract

{ "background": "The persistent underrepresentation of girls in STEM subjects during the critical upper-secondary subject choice period remains a significant challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. Extracurricular interventions, such as coding clubs, are increasingly promoted to address this disparity, yet longitudinal evidence of their impact on formal curricular pathways is limited.", "purpose and objectives": "This study investigates the longitudinal influence of a structured, all-girls coding club on participants' subsequent selection of STEM subjects within the national curriculum. It aims to determine whether club participation correlates with increased uptake of advanced mathematics and physical science courses.", "methodology": "A longitudinal, quasi-experimental cohort design was employed. Participants were drawn from multiple urban secondary schools. The treatment group comprised girls enrolled in a weekly, year-long coding club, while a matched comparison group did not participate. Data were collected via subject choice audits and semi-structured interviews at multiple intervals over a three-year period. Quantitative data were analysed using logistic regression, and qualitative data via thematic analysis.", "findings": "Girls who participated in the coding club were 2.3 times more likely to select advanced physical science for their national examinations compared to the matched comparison group. Qualitative analysis revealed that sustained participation bolstered perceived self-efficacy and demystified computer science as a predominantly male domain.", "conclusion": "The findings indicate that sustained, hands-on extracurricular programming can positively influence formal academic trajectories by altering perceptions and building confidence, thereby acting as a conduit into mainstream STEM curricula.", "recommendations": "Educational policymakers should integrate sustained, female-focused coding initiatives into broader STEM promotion strategies. School leaders should allocate resources and timetable space to support such clubs, ensuring they are pedagogically structured and facilitated by trained mentors.", "key words": "STEM education, gender equity, subject choice, extracurricular activities, computational thinking, secondary education", "contribution statement": "This paper provides novel longitudinal evidence from a sub-Saharan context on the specific mechanism through which an extracurricular coding intervention influences formal STEM subject selection, moving beyond attitudinal measures to document