The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports is set to grace the first-ever Ugandan National STEM Education and Vex Robotics Championship.
The event scheduled for November 29 at the National ICT Hub Nakawa, is being organized by the African School of Innovations Science and Technology (ASIST) Limited, which runs the Young Engineers STEM Education program in Uganda.
The activities which were officially launched recently will mark the inaugural Uganda National STEM Education and Vex Robotics Championship for schools across the country.
The event is designed to prepare students to become future innovators with 95% of participants reporting an increased interest in STEM subject areas and pursuing STEM-related careers.
It's also a great way to expose students to valuable soft skills like communication, collaboration and time management in a fun and authentic way.
Organized in conjunction with the globally renowned VEX World Robotics Championship in Dallas, USA, the Uganda National STEM and Vex Robotics Championship has attracted over 300 children and teenage students in over 30 schools from the central region and beyond.
The event will provide the students with a platform to showcase their skills. The top five best-performing teams will represent the country at the VEX World Robotics Championship in April next year.
The ASIST LTD/ Young Engineers Uganda founder and board chairman, Arinaitwe Rugyendo said the inaugural event marks the beginning of similar annual championships that will cover all the schools in Uganda that have embraced robotics and STEM education in their curriculum.
"Ours has been a mission since 2016 to nurture a critical mass of Uganda's next generation of problem solvers using a STEM Education and Robotics curriculum that supports ongoing efforts to refine our education system by the Ministry of Education and Sports," he said.
He added that the participating schools from across Uganda have formed teams that will compete in categories focused on robotics, innovation, and real-world problem-solving.
Five pioneer projects from students who joined the program in 2016 will be showcased.
These projects address pressing issues in agriculture, technology, climate change, transportation, engineering, and industrial works.
Over 40 teams of children will be competing, with each team's robots themed according to specific industries and social needs. The event will highlight the immense potential of STEM education in transforming Uganda's future workforce.
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Mrs. Caroline Kapere Otaremwa, the Chief Operating Officer at ASIST Ltd and Chairperson of the Organizing Committee, emphasized that the competition aims to promote hands-on STEM education in Uganda's school system.
"The competition seeks to provide students with the tools and knowledge to build robots that solve real-world challenges , foster creativity, critical thinking, and teamwork in young Ugandans.
"This event, the first of its kind in Uganda, showcases what our children have been doing through the Young Engineers program. We call upon the nation to support these efforts because this is the future of education," Otaremwa said.
ASIST Ltd CEO, Maureen Ayebare Karamagi, promised a memorable experience for both children and parents alike, encouraging the public, especially schools, to participate in this transformational event.
Uganda has participated twice in the VEX World Robotics Championship - in 2023 and 2024, achieving notable success.
The team returned with medals and was awarded a Google Badge for its efforts in mainstreaming the girl child in STEM education, further underscoring the importance of expanding opportunities in this field for all Ugandans.
The African School of Innovations Science and Technology (ASIST) Ltd is Uganda's STEM and Robotics education organization.
It was founded in 2016 by journalist Arinaitwe Rugyendo to nurture the next Generation of Scientists, Innovators, problem solvers, Entrepreneurs, and Critical thinkers through its flagship program- The Young Engineers Uganda.
