Winning teams at the First Lego League Nigeria Championship have been selected to represent the nation at different international technology and robotics fora.
After six hundred (600) contestants, ages 9 to 16, demoed their robotic ideas at a two-day annual event hosted at Baze University, Abuja, recently, teams from different secondary schools across Nigeria where chosen to represent the country on a global stage.
Team AI Squad for hillside school where the champions while Kings college Lagos won for its outstanding project and Ikot Obio Itong, Akwa Ibom State won for core values. Federal government college Odogbolu and Team Kids Mechanics from Hide school emerged as winners for robot design while Deeper Life school won for robot performance. The judges award went to Command School Lagos and the Federal Science and Technical College, Michika, won the “Against all odds” award. Coach Enoch was awarded for being an outstanding mentor.
The AI Squad will represent Nigeria and the World Festival, USA, FGC Odogbolu will also represent the country at the International Championship, USA.
Others representing Nigeria in international competitions are; Glisten International Academy which will be at the International Tournament, Turkey, FGGC – Ikot Obio Itong, Akwa Ibom State, Astro Bliss – a team of 4 neighborhood friends, Kings College Lagos and Oginigba Community Secondary School, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
According to the organizers, of the First Lego League championship event, the top teams won by embodying the program’s Core values of teamwork and mutual respect while achieving excellence and innovation in both a robot game and innovative project.
First Lego League is an international program for 9- to 16-year-old children created in a partnership between FIRST and the LEGO Group in 1998 to get children excited about science and technology – and teach them valuable career and life skills.
Children work alongside adult mentors to design, build, and program autonomous robots using LEGO® MINDSTORMS® and create an innovative solution to a problem as part of their research project.
This year’s challenge – INTO ORBIT season – called for teams to research and present their own creative solutions to the real-world inspiring expanse – the space.
The competition is judged in three areas: project; robot design, and Core Values, which embody aspects of teamwork and good sportsmanship. Top robot game scores are also honored.
Speaking on the Initiative, Mallam Adamu Adamu, the minister of education, said Nigeria has come of age, to participate at the world stage in any competition.
“Coderina has taken the lead by partnering with the Federal Ministry of Education in contributing immensely to the development of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.”
“The contribution is well acknowledged and the results of this effort will surely enhance the study of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) in Nigeria”, Adamu said.
The minister also said that Nigerian youths have shown in many life endeavours that they have all it takes to compete on global stage.
Olajide Ademola Ajayi, the program coordinator advised the students to embrace innovation and critical thinking while pursuing skills relevant in the future work place.
Ajayi said that the future of work has changed hence “FLL is a powerful experiential learning program through which students learn grit and perseverance in preparation for overcoming future challenges and making wise decisions in life outside robotics.
“It instills and fuels passion for learning new skills and gaining new knowledge in readiness for the future of work”.
On her part, Elizabeth Adedigba, the director, technology and science education department, Federal Ministry of Education, said that Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) are very crucial in the development of any nation.
“I want to use this opportunity to appeal to well-meaning Nigerian and other well-wishers of the education to support this initiative of setting the pace for our future generation”, Adedigba said.
The top three teams will represent Nigeria at various international tournaments including the World Festival at Houston, Texas and International Open Championships in Turkey, Lebanon, Australia and Uruguay.
The international competitions provide teams with an opportunity to test their mettle against other teams from around the world and also help them realize great learning outcomes.
The Tournament is being supported by SAP, Irish Aid, NAPPS and was organized in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education (Nigeria).
The program is organized annually by Coderina; a not for profit organization that leverages technology tools and computing pedagogy to foster an ecosystem of students and teachers well-grounded in applicability of computing, coding and problem solving techniques.
Jumoke Akiyode-Lawanson
