By Amoto Ndiewo
PP2 pupils from Utange, Kadzandani and Longo ECDE centres were declared first, second, and third respectively in the just concluded inaugural robotics competion held at Mama Ngina Waterfront Park in Mombasa County.
Utange the overall winner posted 38.33 points after being declared winners of hands on category, whereas creative and innovation category winners Kadzandani in Kwa Bulo Shantytown had 38.08 points and lastly Lango ECDE School managed to get 36.83points.
According to Mombasa ICT Chief Anwar Ahmed revealed that under the two categories, the nursery school pupils were tested on creative, comprehensiveness, completeness and functionality of the models created and teamwork.
Ahmed told Education News that each school provided six pupils thus allowing 30 students from five ECDE centres to participate in the event.
“Prior to the main event last Wednesday, the learners took part in interclasses competition within their schools to gift us with the best six, from Likoni, Longo, Kadzandani , Utange, Khadija, Jomvu and SOS Children’s home,’’ he said this on phone.
Ahmed added that the competition was used to assess the first batch of learners from schools which were gifted with the county funded robotic programme in public ECDE schools.
“We have to look and tap into the potential of digital economy. We need to lay firm foundation early enough, into these children’s innovativeness, as the county government is gearing to partner with more stakeholders to spearhead scientific novelty in ECDE learners,’’ said Ahmed, who added that they have a vision of making Mombasa a regional technology hub.
He noted that the robotic programme which was launched in February 2021 targeted at least 30,000 nursery school learners in all the104 ECDE centres in Mombasa County.
“So far, eight of the104 ECDE centres have been equipped with robotics programme at the tune of Sh800, 000 and the learners are exposed to robotics classes twice a week,’’ said Ahmed.
He said given the interest the learners’ exhibit in robotics there are no absentees on the two days given that they look forward to such lessons.
Ahmed added that 18 teachers have been trained on the robotics programme.
“The county government is targeting to train 100 tutors annually on robotics under the county integrated development programme 2023 -27 which also aims to set up 30 robotic centres in each of the county wards,’’ he said.
