It’s projected that Africa will see the creation of 230 million digital jobs by 2030, and preparation for this new reality begins at the school level. South Africa seems to be on the right track in terms of catching up to global standards in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) as we see a massive increase in participation in the World Robot Olympiad (WRO) 2024.
The JSE-listed independent school group, Curro Holdings, whose comprehensive coding and robotics curriculum was established in 2013, is the local host of the WRO. Some of the regional finals took place on 3 August at various Curro schools across the country.
Due to increased demand this year, two new provinces were added to the competition to accommodate the growing number of regional participants – the highest number to date. This increase is a testament to a growing interest in robotics and coding, as well as dedication to shaping the next generation of leaders in STEM.
Curro Curriculum Lead for Coding & Robotics and WRO Western Cape Vice-Chairman, Jurie de Jager, says “This year’s WRO is an opportunity to showcase our approach to technological education as we proudly host, participate and judge the preliminary stages of this event.”
Significant growth in participation highlights Curro’s STEM leadership
A total of 755 teams, comprising 1,945 learners from 162 different schools, participated at the provincial level. This marks a significant increase from the 40 teams that participated when South Africa first joined the WRO in 2010. The independent group demonstrated their leadership in STEM education with 110 teams, comprising 270 learners from 22 schools, participating at the provincial level.
“This growth, specifically within the Curro schools is due to continuous training, competition preparations and internal Cluster Competitions, together with teacher passion and growing confidence through these efforts.” explains De Jager
Nationally, De Jager believes that the introduction of Coding and Robotics as a curriculum subject has elevated the scope and potential of Educational Technology at an extra-mural level. Most recently the Mpumalanga provincial government introduced coding and robotics in 128 schools, as part of its pilot programme with provincial governments across South Africa expected to follow suit.
Curro teachers were also recognized, with 47 judges from the school group selected to evaluate entries across all categories provincially. Additionally, the group’s 10 teachers have been chosen by the World Robot Olympiad (WRO) as Head Judges in South Africa. If selected, these judges will represent South Africa at the WRO International Event.
WRO: A global arena for robotics challenges and innovation
The World Robot Olympiad spans over 95 countries, aiming to promote robotics in STEM education globally. Categories in the 2024 competition include RoboMission, where teams build and program LEGO robots to tackle field challenges; RoboSports, featuring teams designing robots for sports games; Future Innovators, focused on developing robotics projects addressing real-world problems; and Future Engineers, involving advanced robotics solutions based on current research trends.
The provincial competition concluded on 3 August. The finals, where the top robotics talent will be selected to represent South Africa internationally, will be held at Curro Aurora in Randburg on 13 and 14 September. These promising young participants will then compete in the International Finals on 28 and 30 November in Izmir, Turkey.
