The Durban University of Technology (DUT) in collaboration with Lenovo, will offer Coding and Robotics Training to 75 young girls from 15 schools in the eThekwini area. This training is part of the Robo Girl 2022 Project which will run from Monday, 05 December 2022 to Saturday, 10 December 2022 at the DUT Ritson Campus in Durban.
According to Mr Ebrahim Asmal, Senior Lecturer, Information Technology at DUT, the training will be provided by the Department of Information Technology (IT) at the university. The learners will be divided into 15 teams, with each team consisting of five learners. The teams will be trained for three and a half days, during which they will build and programme their own robots.
“The teams will be tasked to build and programme a robot to perform specific tasks in a competition between schools on the last two days. Each group will be provided with a robotics kit for the duration of the course. Besides learning the coding and robotics skills, learners will also develop critical thinking and problem-solving through theory and practical examples. They will further develop an attitude that encompasses team-work, collaboration and sharing responsibility,” explained Mr Asmal.
DUT and Lenovo are looking forward to empowering young girls with the 21st century skills that will prepare them for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and beyond.
Lenovo’s vision of providing Smarter Technology for all, is focused on empowering under-represented communities with access to technology and to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. With a mandate to diversify the talent pipeline in Southern Africa by increasing and cultivating interest in STEM, Lenovo believes in breaking the barriers to entry when it comes to access to technology and education overall.
“Both in South Africa and indeed around the globe, men continue to outnumber women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields, particularly technical fields such as engineering and computer science. Lenovo is extremely passionate about upskilling women and female learners in the technology arena and helping to bridge this gender gap. We believe the most innovative solutions can’t be created without diverse perspectives, and this is why we are investing in such programmes,” said Mr Yugen Naidoo, General Manager: Lenovo Southern Africa.
Members of the media are invited to attend the opening ceremony on Monday, 05 December 2022 at the Ritson campus from 09h00 to 11h00 to meet and interview the ‘Robo Girls.’ The teams that have managed to build and programme the robots that stand out, will win prizes on Saturday, 10 December 2022.
The Robo Girl 2022 will end on a high note with the Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony at the Gateway Hotel on Saturday, 10 December 2022 from 17h30 onwards.
Pictured: Senior Information Technology (IT) lecturer, Mr Ebrahim Asmal.
Simangele Zuma
