Government has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting robotics and coding in schools, describing the initiative as a vital pillar in preparing learners for a tech-driven future.
Speaking during a Robotics and Coding Competition in Harare recently, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerayi Moyo said the future of education lies in equipping students with digital and problem-solving skills that match the demands of the 21st century.
“This is exactly where the future of learning is headed,” said Minister Moyo.
“We need to capacitate not just a selected few schools, but all our institutions with the resources and skills needed to ensure every learner is prepared for the digital era.”
Minister Moyo said there was a need to infuse Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Coding into school curriculums.
“We want everyone to be able to do robotics and coding, the number of schools competing for these competitions should increase, let us capacitate our schools with the gadgets that they need,” he said.
“We want our students to dream big so that they can be able to come up with technological solutions to our day-to-day problems in society.”
The competition, hosted by Robokorda Africa in partnership with Technoxian World Robotics and Robotics Challenge China, drew young innovators from Zimbabwe, Ghana, Zambia, Mozambique, and South Africa.
Participants showcased their ability to build autonomous robots and solve real-world problems through code, highlighting the power of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education.
Local and regional educators, mentors, and technologists attending the event stressed the importance of early exposure to robotics, not only for skills development but also for grooming future engineers and innovators.
Robokorda Africa chairperson Roy Nyathi said events like these help learners think critically and collaborate, which are essential skills in today’s technology landscape.
“If we want Africa to be part of the future digital economy, then we must invest in initiatives like these at school level,” he said.
Students participating in the competition expressed enthusiasm about applying their classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios.
“It’s actually exciting to build something that works and see how what we learn in class applies in the real world,” said Lexx-Angelo Dube from Christian Brothers College.
As momentum builds for the integration of robotics and coding into Zimbabwe’s national curriculum, Government officials say they are working on strategies to train teachers, equip schools with necessary digital tools, and ensure inclusive access to technology especially in under-served communities.
