14 schools have emerged champions at the first ever Uganda National STEM and Vex Robotics Championship 2024.
The African School of Innovations Science and Technology (ASIST) successfully hosted the inaugural Uganda National STEM and Vex Robotics Championship on November 29, 2024 under its Flagship program -Young Engineers Uganda. This happened at the National ICT Innovation Hub in Nakawa. The event brought together over 200 students from over 25 schools across the country.
Champions of the Vex Championship
The Vex Championship saw intense competition among participating schools, with the following schools emerging as overall winners:
1. Daffodils Primary School- Winner of the Vex IQ category
2. The Stoneridge School- Winner of the Vex IQ category
3. Acorns International School- Winner of the VEX V5 category
4. Soroti Municipal SS-Winner of the VEX V5 category
These four schools will represent Uganda at the Vex Robotics World Championship in Dallas, USA, next year.
STEM Championship Winners
The STEM Championship featured two main categories: Aggrotech and Energy-tech. The winners of each category were:
Aggrotech Senior Category
1. Kampala Diplomatic International School – First place with their Smart Irrigation System Project
2. Ntare School-Second place with their Integrated Automatic Hydroponics project
3. Ntare School- Third place with their AgriBot project
Aggrotech Junior Category
1. Edusmith International Christian School- First place with their Garden Rover Project
2. Little Petals International School- Second place with their Mechanical Plough Project
3. Buyala Junior School- Third place with their Automated Crop Harvester Project
Energy-tech Senior Category
1. YE-Semawatta Centre- First place with their Cyber Truck Project
2. The Stoneridge School-Second place with their Gesture-Controlled System Project
Energy-tech Junior Category
1. Shekinah International School-First place with their Water and Air Turbine Project
2. Kampala Academy-Second place with their Intruder Detection System Project
3. YE-Semawatta Centre-Third place with their Mars Rover Project
All these schools will represent Uganda at the International Greenwich Olympiad in the UK next year.
Special Awards
1. Innovative Award: The Stoneridge School for their Cable Car Project
2.Girl-Powered Award: Heritage International School
First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports Hon Janet Kataaha Museveni, represented by the Commissioner for Secondary Schools Mrs Juliet Atuhaire Muzoora commended Young Engineers Uganda for organising a successful First Ever Uganda National STEM and Vex Robotics Championship.
She praised the organizers and participants, emphasizing the importance of STEM education in empowering Uganda’s next generation of innovators. She noted that the championship aligns with the government’s development agenda, particularly in promoting skilling programs and preparing youth for the challenges of the 21st century.
The First Lady also encouraged more schools to participate in future championships, emphasizing the need to nurture and inspire young Ugandan scientists, innovators, and problem solvers. She expressed gratitude to the sponsors, partners, educators, and parents who made the event possible.
“We are thrilled to have provided a platform for Uganda’s young engineers to showcase their skills and creativity”, said Ms Maureen Ayebare Karamagi Chief Executive Officer at Young Engineers Uganda. The championship is a testament to the country’s growing interest in STEM education and its potential to drive innovation and economic growth.
Arinaitwe Rugyendo, the founder of the African School of Innovations Science and Technology Limited (ASIST) / Young Engineers Uganda, in his keynote speech, emphasized the importance of nurturing a generation of thinkers, innovators, and problem-solvers. He noted that Africa’s contribution to global scientific knowledge is still minimal and that it is essential to cultivate a critical mass of scientists and innovators in Uganda.
He highlighted the need for a different approach to education, one that focuses on hands-on learning, project-based learning, and problem-based learning. He emphasized that the traditional approach to education, which focuses on rote learning, has left many students feeling frustrated and disengaged.
The championship is part of a larger movement to promote STEM education in Uganda and to prepare the country’s youth for the challenges of the 21st century.
The championship was a celebration of the potential of Uganda’s youth and a platform for them to showcase their talents. The event was a huge success, with four schools emerging as winners and qualifying to represent Uganda at the Vex World Robotics Championship in April next year and 9 schools qualifying to represent Uganda at the International Greenwich Olympiad in UK next year.
The African School of Innovations Science and Technology (ASIST) Ltd is a Uganda’s STEM and Robotics education organization that nurtures the next Generation of Scientists, Innovators, problem solvers, Entrepreneurs, and Critical thinkers through its flagship program- The Young Engineers Uganda.
ASIST Ltd, a premier education enhancement program, has since focused on promoting STEM education skills in over 25 Ugandan schools, driving innovations and technological education to over 3,000 children shaping and preparing them for the future workforce.
Through their flagship brand Young Engineers Uganda, they have been instrumental in pioneering STEM programs across schools, promoting robotics, engineering, and digital literacy from an early age.
The programme has become a premier flagship initiative, providing students with the tools to compete in international arenas such as the VEX Robotics Championship.
