World Robot Olympiad’s local hosts celebrate growth in STEM talent

Projected to create 230 million digital jobs by 2030, Africa’s future workforce is being prepared today through initiatives like the World Robot Olympiad (WRO). South Africa is making significant strides in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, as evidenced by the remarkable increase in participation at the WRO 2024.

Curro Holdings, a JSE-listed independent school group, has been a pivotal force in this movement. Since establishing its comprehensive coding and robotics curriculum in 2013, Curro has been the local host for the WRO. This year, the competition expanded to include two new provinces, reflecting the burgeoning interest in robotics and coding. The regional finals, held on 3 August across various Curro schools, showcased the highest number of participants to date.

“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,” says Jurie de Jager, Curro Curriculum Lead for Coding & Robotics and WRO Western Cape Vice-Chairman.

The growth in participation is impressive: 755 teams comprising 1,945 learners from 162 schools competed at the provincial level. This marks a substantial increase from the 40 teams that participated when South Africa first joined the WRO in 2010. Curro alone fielded 110 teams with 270 learners from 22 schools, underscoring their leadership in STEM education.

“This growth, specifically within the Curro schools, is due to continuous training, competition preparations, and internal Cluster Competitions, coupled with teacher passion and growing confidence through these efforts,” De Jager explains. He also credits the national introduction of Coding and Robotics as a curriculum subject for elevating the scope and potential of educational technology at an extra-mural level.

Curro’s dedication extends to their teachers, with 47 judges from the school group evaluating entries across all categories provincially. Additionally, 10 Curro teachers have been selected by the WRO as Head Judges in South Africa, with the potential to represent the country at the WRO International Event.

The World Robot Olympiad, held in over 95 countries, aims to promote robotics in STEM education worldwide. The 2024 competition includes categories such as RoboMission, RoboSports, Future Innovators, and Future Engineers, each challenging participants to develop innovative solutions.

The provincial competition concluded on 3 August, with the final set to take place at Curro Aurora in Randburg on 13 & 14 September. Here, the best and brightest will be selected to represent South Africa at the International Finals in Izmir, Turkey, from 28 to 30 November.

Read next: Curro Durbanville High School Hosts World Robot Olympiad, Inspiring STEM Innovation