In a bid to reverse the low involvement of girls in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and increase their participation, this project earmarked to bring to the classroom a new dimension of access to quality technology and engineering education with special attention to girls. An all-girls national robotic competition has the potential to increase interest in and participation of girls in STEM and their gradual development of STEM careers.
Objectives:
The main goal of this project had been to engage students (girls) through an interdisciplinary approach targeting one or a combination of the grand engineering challenges to design, build and programme a robot that would respond to identified challenges. It was also hoped that these activities may not only build knowledge and skills in engineering, but also empower the girl child to develop essential skills such as problem solving, critical and creative thinking, communication, collaboration, and perseverance. Specifically, the project aimed to among others:
- Attract girls nationwide to technology and engineering;
- To attract, motivate, stimulate, engage and educate young girls to become engineers and technologists;
- Introduce engineering and technology principles and applications to secondary school classrooms;
- Prepare students (girls) for the challenges of a high-tech society;
- Improve mathematics and science education and align secondary school education systems to technology and engineering education.
