National Robotics Competition encourages students to apply higher-order thinking skills, says education officer

SIBU (July 31): The National Robotics Competition (NRC) emphasises aspects of innovation and creativity among students through an engaging and enjoyable experiential learning, said Zamzaitul Akmal Hisham Ahmad.

The Sarawak Education Department deputy director (Student Development Sector) said the competition aims to encourage students to apply higher-order thinking skills as well as strategies to design, build, and prepare excellent robot coding protocols.

“The dynamics of the current education world demand the need for all stakeholders – educators, parents, strategic partners in the industry and private sectors, as well as the local community – to empower exposure and mastery of learning in the STEM field,” he said when gracing the closing of the state-level NRC at SMK Methodist here today.

A total of 113 teams took part in the two-day competition, competing in 12 categories.

Zamzaitul Akmal also informed that the champion from each of the 12 categories will represent Sarawak in the coming NRC in Putrajaya from Sept 23 to 26.

Meanwhile, Sibu education officer Ahli Chikba in his address earlier hoped the experiences and knowledge gained through the NRC would contribute to the development of outstanding human capital in the future.

“We are confident that this effort will achieve its objectives through 12 competition categories involving primary and secondary schools, participated by 113 teams,” he said.

Miri’s SMK Chung Hua was the standout school in the competition, emerging champion and first runner-up in four of the 12 categories.

The four categories were RoboMission Pro (upper secondary), RoboMission Pro (lower secondary), RoboSports, and Future Innovators (lower secondary).

Among those present were Sasbadi Learning Solutions Sdn Bhd programme and event manager Noor Faiz Zulkiflee, SMK Methodist principal Philip Ling, and SJK Tung Hua headmistress Yu Siong Chiew.