Ghana To Compete In World Robotics Olympiad In Malaysia

Three of Ghana’s best science students from three Senior High Schools (SHSs) yet to be nominated, will be representing the country at the 2012 World Robotics Olympiad (WRO) competition to be organised next month in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

This will be the first time Ghana has taken part in such a competition after previously and recently undergoing regional and national competitions in the country in Robotics Inspired Science Education (RISE II) organized by the United States of America (USA) Embassy in Ghana in partnership with the Ghana Robotics Academy Foundation, as preparation towards the WRO in Malaysia. 

Ghana’s number-one space scientist with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the USA, Dr. Ashitey Trebi-Ollennu who disclosed this to journalists on the sidelines of this year’s RISE contest/workshop in Tamale said, Ghana will face 38 science, technology and engineering advanced countries such as Japan, China, Korean and USA among others in the WRO competition slated for 9^th to 11^th November 2012.

Dr. Ashitey Trebi-Ollennu, Space Scientist At NASA, USA

Dr. Trebi-Ollennu who is NASA’s Senior Robotics Engineer, said ten selected SHS Science Clubs from the three regions of the North– Upper West, Upper East and Northern were taken through RISE education to sharpen their skills ahead of the tough international contest.

RISE education seeks to transform the learning experience of young Ghanaians by connecting scientific theory with hands-on learning experience. Not only do teachers and students strategise, design, build, program and test an autonomous robot to solve defined real world problems, but students are able to develop leadership skills, self-confidence, presentation and communication skills through the experience of Robots competitions.

Three Science Clubs from three SHS were selected from the Upper East and West Regions as well as four from the Northern Region to participate against each other in the competition. The competition which will also be organized in Kumasi, Accra and Cape Coast by bringing 32 more SHSs together to compete, would enable the organisers to pick three best science students to represent the country in the upcoming WRO contest in Malaysia.

According to Dr. Trebi-Ollennu, countries whose economies had good prospects in the near future were those that placed serious emphasis on the development of human resource, science, technology and engineering.

He stated that Ghana stood the chance of advancing in science, technology and engineering and that what was needed now was for the country to invest in these sectors, which he described as the three most important pillars to the economic development of every country.

Stressing the need to connect scientific theory to practical experience, the NASA Robotics Engineer was hopeful that the program would enable students to develop interest in learning science, engineering and technology. 

On the other hand, participants lauded the initiative by the US Embassy saying it was educative, because robotic science provided them the opportunity to learn how to design, assemble and program robots. Besides, the workshop according to them had demystified the perception that only the white man could build robots and use them to solve problems. 

USAID recently joined with Ghana’s Ministry of Education, Vodafone Business Solutions, and Global e-schools and Communities Initiative (GESCI) to launch the ICT for Education Global Development Alliance public private initiative. The alliance supports the Ghana Educational Service’s goal of providing internet access to SHSs to support teaching and learning, and to improve management. Under the program, USAID would provide for installation and necessary internet connectivity upgrades to 400 SHSs throughout the country.

Meanwhile, St. Francis Xavier Minor Seminary SHS in the Upper West Region emerged as the overall champions beating Navrongo SHS and Bolgatanga Girls’ SHS at the end of the stiff competition. All team members were each given Gold Medals, a Trophy and the Gold Award Certificate.   

Navrongo and Bolgatanga Girls SHSs took the second and third places respectively. Team members were given Silver and Bronze Medals, Certificates of Participation, Trophies as well as Silver and Bronze Award Certificates.  

St. Francis Xavier Minor Seminary SHS again emerged winners in the Robot Design category beating Navrongo and Bolgatanga Girls’ SHSs to the second and third places respectively. 

In the Programming category, Bawku SHS also beat St. Francis Xavier Minor Seminary and Navrongo SHSs to the second and third places respectively, whereas in the Autonomous Rescue Challenge, St. Charles Minor Seminary SHS beat Navrongo and St. Francis Xavier Minor Seminary SHSs in that order. 

The rest of the other contesting schools such as Wa SHS, T.I Amaddiya SHS, Yendi SHS, Islamic SHS and Tamale SHS as well as winners in the various categories received Certificates of Participation.