Although South Africa has made significant strides in the effort to achieve gender equity in education, women and Africans continue to remain underrepresented in the fields of science, engineering and technology. While a lot of research has been conducted on gender in education in South Africa, and on poor performance in science and mathematics education, not much focus has been paid to issues of gender in science and mathematics education. The purpose of this study is to explore female secondary school science teachers’ personal and professional experiences as learners and teachers of science. The study aims to gain a better understanding of the views and perceptions of selected science female teachers, related to gender and participation in science.

This study seeks to answer the following research questions:

• How do female science teachers perceive their educational experiences in science and mathematics?
• How do female science teachers view the role gender has played in their personal and professional lives as science learners and teachers?
• What do female science teachers say about how their educational experiences influenced their academic and career choices?
• What are female science teachers’ views and beliefs about gender in science education?
• The study aims to achieve the following objectives:
• To explore female science teachers’ experiences of school and university science
• To explore the role female science teachers believe gender has played in their academic and professional lives
• To examine how female science teachers’ educational experiences influenced their career choices.
• To explore female science teachers’ beliefs and views about gender in science and mathematics education
• To sensitize female science teachers about issues of gender in science and mathematics education