Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Making robotics fun, accessible
THE recent success of the World Robot Olympiad (WRO) Western Cape regional competition won’t only see winners going to the nationals, but has also opened an opportunity for underprivileged children to be introduced to this fast-growing sport.
Head of the robotics department at Christel House, Cedric Esterhuizen, said their outreach programme is meant to cross the digital divide that separates pupils.
“In order to remain relevant in an ever-changing world, we at Christel House SA have to continually readjust our goalposts in preparing students for the future. We are aiming to create an opportunity to expose students who would otherwise not have had the opportunity or experience robotics.
“Robotics offers an opportunity to follow a career path that students haven’t considered before and allows them to make a contribution in the 21st century, to an ever-changing technological world. More than that, robotics will allow the next generation to significantly impact society.”
Esterhuizen was speaking during the WRO Western Cape regional competition that took place at Christel House South Africa in Ottery.
The competition saw 227 pupils battling it out in a variety of categories. The winners are expected to compete in the nationals next month.
The winners included the two Salie sisters from Parklands College, who won gold in the Robo Mission senior category.
The eldest, Imrah Salie, who is in Grade 10, said: “The competition was absolutely incredible. From the moment we got there, we were surrounded by like-minded people, with eyes on the first-place prize. And the intangible prize was something so much more valuable, the experience we gained. We have been absolutely enamoured with robotics and all the greatness that comes along with it. It is truly such an amazing part of our lives.”
Two pupils from Christel House won the Explorer Prime category and said the competition was fun as it taught them how to programme a robot and allowed them to learn from and interact with other learners.
Richard Knaggs, the WRO Western Cape chairperson, said: “This fascinating competition encourages our children to think about challenges that we are currently experiencing in the world today. It gives them opportunities to develop creative solutions for these challenges, find their purpose and start building their futures today.”