I Wish survey finds lack of information, confidence affect more than half of students
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Pictured: An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin (centre) with Amélie Place; Arsha Bhatia; Rhia Murphy and Charlotte Cosgrove, Mount Sackville Secondary School
The 2025 I Wish Survey has found that more than half of girls in single-sex schools see limited subject choice as a barrier to pursuing STEM.
The annual 2025 Survey of Female Students’ Attitudes to STEM by I Wish – a national non-profit that empowers girls to see the potential of STEM – also revealed stark differences between single-sex and mixed schools. Among the 2,335 Transition Year female students surveyed in single-sex schools, just 5% reported access to Construction Studies and 6% to Engineering, compared with 84% and 74% respectively in mixed schools.
This trend reflected the national outlook, with the Department of Education’s 2024 Indicator Report which showed that only 71% of girls’ schools offer at least one STEM subject beyond maths or science, compared with 96% of boys’ schools. These findings highlight the structural barriers that continue to shape subject choice for girls in single-sex schools, limiting early exposure to key STEM pathways.
The report calls for urgent action to ensure equal access to STEM education for every girl in Ireland. Central to this mission is the 11th annual I Wish Festival, taking place on 5 February 2026 at the RDS Dublin, which will bring together over 4,000 students to hear from leading female voices in global STEM industries.
I Wish co-founder, Gillian Keating said: “We’re seeing real progress as more young women than ever before are pursuing STEM at third level, and that’s something to celebrate. But this year’s findings make it clear that the pipeline is still too narrow at the start. Limited subject choices, particularly in single-sex schools, continue to restrict girls’ opportunities. Exposure drives opportunity.
“The I Wish Festival is part of that journey a vibrant, high-energy space where girls can experience STEM in action, meet inspiring women, and start to imagine their own futures in these fields.”
After a successful two-year pilot, I Wish have announced a new partnership with Logitech to scale its Primary Programme, which helps boost girls’ confidence in STEM from a younger age through alumni talks, industry visits and hands-on experiments. Participation in the programme grew by 38% in 2025, reaching 265 students. However, confidence remains a concern – just half (49%) of students at primary level said they felt good at maths only sometimes, while 17% were not confident in STEM.
I Wish co-founder, Caroline O’Driscoll said: “Early intervention is critical. Almost half of the students express a growing anxiety about maths, and that’s a concern. On a more positive note, 50% of students want more STEM activities in the classroom, with 95% of girls saying they believed that girls can be just as good as boys in STEM. That curiosity and confidence need to be nurtured.
“Interestingly, we are also seeing a really strong link between sport and confidence. The data shows a clear difference: girls who play sport are more confident in STEM subjects, school life, and even speaking up in class – often by 10 to 15 percentage points. Building that connection between sport and STEM helps develop resilience, teamwork and problem-solving skills that open the door to underrepresented STEM fields.”
The survey urged stronger links between classroom learning and real-world experience – from applied STEM activities and industry engagement to dedicated Transition Year events that normalise participation. It advocated for more creative approaches to representing STEM, including relatable social media content and initiatives that link STEM with sports.
TechCentral Reporters