Islamabad Headstart School has got a real feather in its cap by becoming the country’s first school to host a robotics competition.
Headstart, the pioneer in robotics at school level, had won the bid to host National Robosprint 2014 in collaboration with the Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering (CASE) Robotics Group.
The competition, which is designed along international standards to promote robotics among schoolchildren in the country, opened at Headstart School, Kuri Road campus, on the outskirts of Islamabad of late.
According to organisers, the name, Robosprint, is attributed to an annual robotics competition held by the CASE University to promote passion for the field of robotics in its undergraduate students.
Robosprint was initiated at a local level by the CASE Robotics Group, the undergraduate robotics research group of the CASE University, in 2009.
“This year’s competition will not only enable participants to practice the latest standards in robotics but will also provide them with enough confidence for participation in the world class competitions like RoboCup,” Saadia Adeel of Headstart School told this scribe.
She said the Headstart Centre for Engineering and Robotics had been operational since its establishment under the supervision of Engineer Najib Murtaza in 2003 and that it had dovetailed technology, engineering, communications, mathematics and physics concepts.
Naznin Murtaza, chief executive officer of Headstart School, said her school had embarked on a journey to improve the critical thinking and technology scores of students with the technical support of PCS Edventures Inc.
“We follow the project-based learning methodology, which is the result of the latest research in education showing children learn best in a setting that combines theoretical and practical work.
“Ours is the only school, which offers robotics as a subject from grade 2 to O level. Our students have won many national and international competitions. We feel partnership with the CASE University for Robosprint will strengthen our role in increasing the number of students in the field of science and engineering,” she said.
Nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, who was the chief guest on the occasion, praised Headstart School for its robotics programme. He said the country had many good technological institutions, but since there was a lack of industrial infrastructure, their work hadn’t been put to practice by and large.
Dr Abdul Qadeer also regretted that though Pakistani youths were very talented, they had little opportunities to use their talents for the country’s progress and development.
He blamed the current system of governance for brain drain from the country and insisted talented youths would continue going abroad for career growth until they’re offered better working environment and incentives at home.
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