A total of 75 girls from selected schools in the eThekwini region are currently undergoing training on coding, robotics and the concepts of the Internet of Things (IoT) at the Durban University of Technology (DUT). They are part of the RoboGirl 2023 programme which is hosted by the Department of Information Technology at DUT, in partnership with Lenovo and Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM).
The exciting programme commenced on Monday, 04 December 2023 and is expected to end on Saturday, 09 December 2023. The RoboGirl 2023 programme consists of 75 girls who are in Grade 10 and Grade 11, who come from 15 selected schools that are mostly located in historically disadvantaged communities.
According to the Project Leader at DUT, Mr Ebrahim Asmal, Senior Information Technology Lecturer, the girls are currently undergoing three days of intensive training which will culminate into a competition between schools, where the girls will be given two days to design and develop an IoT solution. The projects will be judged by a panel of adjudicators on Saturday, 09 December 2023. The winners will be announced at the RoboGirl 2023 Gala Dinner which is taking place at the Elangeni Hotel in Durban on Saturday evening, 09 December 2023.
A Grade 11 pupil at Vukuzakhe High School at Umlazi, Ms Ntandoyenkosi Mbhele (16) shared her excitement about joining the programme. As much as she was nervous about participating for the first time in the programme, she was confident that her team will do well in the competition, since their school has already been taught the basics of coding.
“I am looking forward to interacting with the other remarkable girls from other schools, learning new skills and making friends. I hope I will be able to take what I will learn and pass it on to other girls from my township. I was also fascinated by seeing the beautiful buildings of DUT and I also found the lecturers very welcoming. I do see myself coming back to study at DUT in the future,” reiterated Ms Mbhele.
Mr Asmal indicated that the aim of the RoboGirl programme was to prepare young girls for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and beyond. He believes that by 2030 most of the jobs will be replaced by robots.
“We are here to equip them with skills for the future. We want to provide the girls with the skills that will be needed in the new jobs that are going to be there by 2030. From this group of girls, we need scientists and engineers who will make their mark in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) field,” shared Mr Asmal.
The DUT Executive Dean: Faculty of Accounting and Informatics at DUT, Professor Oludayo Olugbara congratulated the girls for having the opportunity to learn about the emerging technologies.
“Robots, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are major drivers of digital transformation, giving the world a better way to live and seamlessly conduct business. The combination of these technologies has great potential to change the shape of the working culture of businesses, industries, economies and the society at large,” shared Prof Olugbara.
Sharing his message of support, the Relationship Sales Lead at Lenovo, Mr Werner Schoeman said: “As we look at the young female students benefiting from Lenovo’s coding and robotics initiatives in South Africa, we see more than just future engineers and programmers. We see leaders, trailblazers, and agents of positive change. The impact of these programmes extends far beyond the classroom, creating a ripple effect that touches families, communities, and, ultimately, the entire nation.”
Pictured: The group of girls who are part of the RoboGirl 2023 programme.
Simangele Zuma
