Young minds tackle tomorrow’s challenges at robotics championship
Learners aged 5 to 14 stunned judges with futuristic robotics solutions at Bryanston Primary’s CMAC event.
Excitement filled the school hall at Bryanston Primary School on May 17, as learners, parents, and teachers gathered for the highly anticipated Cubroid Meta Africa Championship (CMAC).
The event started with a vibrant setup and registration period, with eager learners, many accompanied by proud parents, buzzing with energy as they prepared to showcase their skills in coding and robotics.
The opening ceremony featured Sithesh Pillay, head of coding and robotics at Bryanston Primary, followed by an introduction to CMAC by Dave Lusambya, from Support Your School.
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Lusambya explained the motivation behind the championship, stating that only approximately 2% of teachers they spoke to felt confident teaching coding and robotics, before training was done across seven provinces. “CMAC was created as a hands-on, empowering platform to bridge that confidence gap and encourage learner-driven innovation.”
Lusambya added that this year’s theme: Solving for 2030, challenged learners to develop robotics-based solutions for future global issues across five smart industries: Space exploration, healthcare, agriculture, energy, and transportation.
“Using the Cubroid Coding Blocks kit, learners presented creative and thoughtful prototypes aimed at tackling the challenges of tomorrow.”
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Adding a lively cultural touch to the day, the Bovet Primary School choir delivered a spirited performance that set a festive tone.
“Judges made their rounds, engaging with learners as they presented their projects with enthusiasm and impressive technical understanding,” said Lusambya. “The competition featured two divisions: CMAC Junior (ages 5–9) and CMAC Senior (ages 10–14).”
He pointed out that the winners in the junior division included Laerskool Fairland in first place, Ithembelihle LSEN School in second, and Bovet Primary School in third.
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“In the senior category, Emmarentia Primary took top honours, followed by Bryanston Primary and Houghton Primary. Prizes were awarded to the top three teams in both divisions.”
Lusambya concluded by stating that they drew support from dignitaries in the Department of Education, who praised CMAC’s role in advancing STEM education in South Africa.
“FNB also attended, underscoring their commitment to innovation and youth development.”
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