Communications of the ACM
A Mission to Bring STEM Skills, and Robots, to Children in West Africa
Educator Sidy Ndao is working to advance science, technology, engineering, and math skills in West Africa through events like the Pan-African Robotics Competition.
Credit: Sam Phelps/The New York Times
University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor Sidy Ndao aims to advance science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills in West Africa by organizing events such as the Pan-African Robotics Competition.
The second annual contest held in Senegal last week brought together students from 25 schools to build and program robots to navigate a maze. The students used the kit-built robots to operate in models of future farms.
Ndao says although West Africa has some well-equipped math schools and tech courses, the institutions sometimes focus on rote memorization instead of contextual learning, which means students seldom link theory with practical experience.
Senegalese entrepreneurs and government officials are welcoming the idea of improving STEM education, based on Ndao and others' arguments that such emphasis can improve the country. Complicating this effort is a lack of electricity for schools in certain regions, and the cost of Internet access.
The robot competition seeks to create a connection between Nebraska and Senegal's farming societies, and illustrate ways robots can improve their efficiency and production.
"We can change our future if we learn more about technology," says Senegalese student Joanna Kengmeni.
From The New York Times
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