The 15th Schools Robotics Championship kicked off Monday in Lusail Hall with the participation of about 1600 male and female students from 160 public and private schools.
The championship is organized by Qatar Scientific Club, an affiliate of Ministry of Sports and Youth, in cooperation with Ministry of Education and Higher Education.
The opening was attended by HE Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Nuaimi, Advisor to HE the Minister of Sports and Youth Abdulrahman bin Musallam Al Dosari, and a number of officials in the two ministries.
The three-day championship aims to spread the culture of robots and their role in education locally and in the Arab world. It also aims to develop the spirit of creativity among participants in the field of robotics.
Among the championship’s annual traditional competitions come robot for youngsters (Discovery), robot for youngsters (Explorer), line tracking (beginner and advanced), collecting balls (beginner and advanced), sumo (beginner and advanced), innovation competition (Research and Programming) and FIRST LEGO League (FLL) competition.
The championship also includes competitions for the first time in its activities including the Robot Arm, which aims to design and program mobile robots capable of carrying specific weights and transferring them to build a specific shape as quickly as possible, and the drone competition, which aims to prepare young people and youth for more future professions and jobs, and the Football Robotics Competition, which aims to teach and apply science, engineering, mathematics and computer programming in a highly skilled manner.
In his speech included in the tournament booklet, HE Minister of Sports and Youth Salah bin Ghanim Al Ali said that the ministry seeks to support and guide young people and invest their inclinations and skills in order to develop an integrated national personality based on the Ministry’s vision of active and responsible youth with a sense of patriotism, and a community practicing sports.
His Excellency added that the Ministry realizes that the effectiveness of young people and youth in society and their eagerness to carry out their responsibilities requires great work based on developing skills and capacities in various fields, in addition to raising their level of awareness of the role assigned to them towards the development and advancement of their society.
The Ministry seeks help to achieve its vision and carry out its mission with a set of institutional values, particularly cooperation and partnership that establish the team spirit and integration among various groups and parties of society, His Excellency said, highlighting the successful partnership with MOEHE that created a scientific and practical environment in the field of science.
HE Minister of Education and Higher Education Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi said that the championship carries an extended educational legacy that has its place in the hearts of the competitors, and that the championship has a role in motivating students and encourage them to think outside the box.
The MOEHE aspires for students to be lifelong learners, armed with knowledge, and characterized by flexibility, passion and creativity, by enhancing their achievements and ensuring their continuity and providing them with the skills of the 21st century, the most important of which are technological and digital skills, without neglecting the instilling, developing and strengthening of the values of national identity in them, Her excellency said.
Her Excellency affirmed that this tournament and other tournaments have a great impact on students by contributing to their scientific and social development and instilling self-confidence and faith in their ability to compete globally and achieve what they aspire to, as they realize life developments and understand the needs of the labor market.
Her Excellency highly appreciated the Ministry of Sports and Youth represented by the Qatar Scientific Club, and the Information Technology Department of the Educational Guidance Department of the MOEHE, for their appreciated efforts in supporting educational activities.
During the opening of the 15th Schools Robotic Championship, Qatar Scientific Club (QSC) Executive Director and Chair of the championship’s supreme organizing Committee Eng. Rashid Al Rahimi indicated that robotics technologies began at the beginning of the twentieth century and spread until they became part of daily life, explaining that these tournaments prepare a competitive generation ready for the jobs of the future, which mostly depend on modern technology, robotics and artificial intelligence.
He explained that QSC continuously worked on expanding and improving the championship from the onset onwards, constantly trying to accommodate more teams, participants, students, and schools as well as increasing the number of competitions’ categories.
He added that the aim has been to empower students and develop their skills in dealing with new challenges.
Al Rahimi added that the number of teams increased by 50 percent compared to the previous edition, amounting to 550 teams, in addition to a 30 percent increase in the number of students, whether from public or private schools, with students numbering 1,600.
The QSC Director added that this championship and its objectives are a manifestation of QSC’s strategic goals, which in turn are derived from the Ministry of Sports and Youth’s vision, and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, praising both ministries’ efforts in supporting the championship and providing the best programs and activities, in meeting the aspirations of the youth and the future children of Qatar.
In his speech, Engineer Rashid Al Rahimi praised the many promising Qatari role models of young men and women who have passion and love for science, knowledge, and technology, who translated this passion into successful in their lives, an example of which are QSC member Sheikha Al Hitmi and Software Engineer at QSC Shamma Al Buainain.
Al Rahimi thanked to the championships supporters, especially the Social and Sport Contribution Fund (Daam), the championship’s official sponsor.
In a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA) on the sidelines of the championship, QSC Executive Director Eng. Rashid Al Rahimi said that the club promotes science and has an annual calendar designed for various target groups, from children and the youth to professional inventors, as QSC offers Tech workshops and applied projects, in addition to training on manual and digital manufacturing skills for the implementation of projects, supporting manufacturing and innovation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
For his part, Director of the Youth Affairs Department at the Ministry of Sports and Youth Fawaz Al Mesaifri said that this year’s robotics championship witnessed the addition of new tournaments related to drones and robotic arms, with the championship consisting of 13 competitions.
Al Mesaifri indicated that the winners of the previous edition participated in international events and made remarkable achievements, stressing the benefits of this championship for students’ foreign participation representing the State of Qatar in major events and championships.
He added that the Schools Robotics Championship enhances young people’s skills in the domain, becoming major transferable skills for the youth in programming and robotics knowledge.
Al Mesaifri stated that the Ministry of Sports and Youth and through QSC, aims to raise interest in the sciences, to achieve the ministry’s vision of establishing an active, responsible, patriotic and sportive youth.
Source: Qatar News Agency