By Uzo Ugwunze
Twelve secondary schools in Anambra State at the weekend participated in the 2024 Institute of Electrical Electronics Engineering (IEEE) Nnamdi Azikiwe University Coding and Robotics competition.
The competition, held at the NEEDS Assessment building, Faculty of Engineering, UNIZIK, witnessed display of exceptional skills, ingenuity and creativity by the schools, with two students representing each school.
Bubendorff Memorial Grammer School, Adazi-Nnukwu, Anaocha Local Goverment Area of the state at the end of the exercise emerged top, while UNIZIK High School, Awka beat Lorreto Special Science School, Adazi-Nnukwu to secure second position.
Speaking during the event, Chairman, Post Primary School Service Commission (PPSSC), Prof Nkechi Ikediugwu commended the IEEE for organising the competition as well as the participating schools.
“I’m of high hope that you will continue to provide resources and opportunities for our students, for STEM exploration, encourage and collaborate with us for diversity and inclusion in STEM field and more so, inspire curiousity and creativity in our students.
“To our students, I encourage your participation. Your project demonstrate exceptional skills and creativity. Remember, failure is not the opposite of success, rather a stepping stone to innovation,” she added.
Also speaking, Engr Angela Omogbeme of University of Georgia, USA expressed satisfaction with the students’ interests in the competition, urging them to take advantage of the exercise to enhance their proficiencies in coding and robotics.
Earlier, the hosts, Chioma Edith and Engr Dozie Ekwunife said the competition was targeted at promoting STEM education in secondary schools as well as assessing knowledge acquired by the students following the work done by their teachers.
“The competition is a follow-up to “Train the Trainers” STEM program sponsored by IEEE STEM. The first part of the program was held in June where about 60 teachers were trained on coding and robotics and mandated to go and train their students.
“It is noteworthy that between June and November, the IEEE STEM team has donated robotic kits to several schools in the State, including UNIZIK High school, Berbendoff Memorial Grammar school, Community High school, Akwaeze, Community Secondary school Achalla, St Patrick College Awka, Christ Ambassadors College, Mbaukwu and St Mary’s Secondary school Awka,” they said.
Representative of Bubendorff Memorial Grammer School, Igwike Jerome, an SS3 student described the victory as reward for hardwork, just as he thanked the organisers for providing the platform for them to showcase their skills and creativity.
He said, “We designed school’s website, including E-wallet and E-Library. It has been weeks of sleepless night trying to package the project because programming is very complex which demands hardwork and sacrifice.
“We started this project about 4 weeks ago. The school had to exempt us from normal timetable. This victory is a reward for our hardwork and sacrifices.
“Of course, we wouldn’t have felt bad if we didn’t win because the project is not meant for the competition as we don’t put our limits to competition.
“The project is actually meant for the school website which we can host for the school and will even be paid for it.”
On his part, the team lead of UNIZIK High school, Praise Elekwachi, an SS3 student said he chose creation of robotic car for the competition being a hardware he was more conversant with.
“I created a robotic car known as UHS bot
programmed to be controlled by either bluetooth module (HC-05) for wireless control between phone and the robot or through voice command.
“Constructing the car was not only time and energy consuming, resources were committed to ensure deadline was met. It took me 4 days to put everything in place.
“My partner, Igbokwe Gospel, an SS2 student who is more familiar with software recreated the popular MS word using scratch which he called Mblock word,” he said.
Highpoint of the competition was the presentation of cash prizes and certificates to the winning schools, teachers and students.