First Global Challenge Robotic Competition |21 August 2017
Team Seychelles honoured
The group of students from the Beau Vallon secondary school known as Team Seychelles who took part in the First Global Challenge Robotic Competition held last month in Washington, USA, have been honoured.
This was through a reception held on Friday evening at the Savoy Resort Seychelles at Beau Vallon.
The six students are Nellie Azemia (team leader), Stana Mousbe (spokesperson), Frazer Nalletamby (programme builder and operator), Shana Banane (designer) and Anil Buron (designer, builder and tactician). They were accompanied by a science teacher from the school, Kevin Dupres, and were the youngest and coming from the smallest of the countries who took part.
They were ranked 105 out of 163 countries and 25th out of 40 African countries. They also outperformed a number of developed countries in the likes of USA, UK, France, Canada, the Netherlands and Russia.
The team also nominated the National Institute for Science, Technology and Innovation (Nisti), for best supporting organisation and Nisti won bronze of the Al-Kararizmi Award for outstanding supporting organisations. The award is for outstanding supporter to the First Global Challenge 2017 and for promoting the cause of Science, Technology Engineering and Maths (STEM) in their country and the development of a new international technologically capable generation.
Present at the reception on Friday were Vice-President Vincent Meriton under whose office Nisti falls, secretary of state Barry Faure, chairman of Nisti board Conrad Shamlaye, the institute’s chief executive Xavier Estico, stakeholders and sponsors, parents and three of the six students.
The event consisted of Team Seychelles documentary, team match and award ceremony in Washington in a video session. As part of the highlights, team leader Nella Azemia presented Mr Estico with the award for Nisti.
“Despite the fact that this is a remarkable achievement, it is important that we learn from this experience ‒ that science, technology and innovation (STI) is not a monopoly of any nation. There is no too big nor too small nation when it comes to knowledge. Knowledge, be it scientific or not, is sacred and universal. However, it is equally important to note that nations that invest in STI make a big difference to their socio-economic development compared to those that do not,” said Mr Estico in his remark.
It is in this context, he added, that Nisti has taken the initiative to rekindle the interest, motivation and appreciation of STEM education in schools.
“STEM-related knowledge and skills are crucial to the socio-economic development of any country. In Seychelles, we are in the transition from an economic-efficiency-driven economy to an innovation-driven knowledge-based economy and without STEM-based knowledge and skills, this stage of our development can be undermined,” he stated.
For his part Vice-President Meriton said: “The use of science and technology in addressing the demographic and lifestyle challenges of our time is increasingly evident. Noticeable advances have been registered in the field of telecommunications, medical research and agriculture without forgetting the achievements in the search for knowledge energies. Here in Seychelles, Nisti, the educational institutions and partners should spare no effort in the promotion of STEM education, therefore widening the circles of career opportunities for the upcoming generation.”
The setting up of science clubs in schools, Mr Meriton added, and involvement in international events such as The First Global Challenge, are commendable initiatives which I hope will go some way towards the enhancement of the country’s transformation to a knowledge-based economy.
The evening ended with a vote of thanks from one of the students.