The voice of Mexican girls: The factors that influence their scientific education

Scientific education is fundamental for empowering girls and achieving the reduction of social inequalities, poverty, and gender violence. The development of scientific skills in girls encourages their participation in science, alongside the growth of their scientific self-efficacy and motivation towards learning. The objective of this research is to identify the perceptions of girls aged 9 to 13 regarding variables related to scientific education, in order to analyze the scenarios, they navigate and how these affects or can stimulate their motivations towards science and learning. This is a qualitative study employing content analysis. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 23 public school girls in Mexico City and the surrounding metropolitan area. The interviews were analyzed using Atlas.ti software; coding and subsequent categorization were carried out. The study concludes that there are significant gaps in the scientific education of the girls who participated in the research. It is essential to work on female role models in the scientific field, as well as training teachers in gender-sensitive pedagogical methods, providing well-equipped school laboratories, and conducting workshops that promote advanced mathematical skills, specifically focused on girls to strengthen their confidence and competence in these areas.