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Shepherd Chimururi

Youth Interactive Correspondent

Steep prices for robotics kits are the major stumbling block at building a STEM-based innovation system that promotes knowledge generation and technology production for industrial development in schools.

It is a fact that pupils who are exposed to a futuristic science like robotics at a tender age are inspired to venture into engineering. The allure of robots makes students tech-savvy and sharpen their problem-solving skills.

Robotics is seen as the key to pertinent societal problems like pollution, droughts, deforestation, climate change, environmental degradation, etc.  

However, the steep price of the kits is evidently discriminatory. To put it into context, a one day robotics workshop for kids costs an average of US$40 which is enough to pay school fees for a whole term for a school in rural areas.

The kit for beginners that comes with pre-assembled parts costs about US$200 locally and US$160 on Amazon.com, excluding tuition. 

The kits have hundreds of reusable electronic components and a booklet project ideas.

The hands-on approach makes robotics learning far more exciting but at this rate the cost is discriminatory. 

It means rural pupils will most likely never have exposure to robotics at a tender age. 

This means the country is missing out the opportunity to inspire, motivate and groom potential engineers from the countryside.

3D printers and pens, sensors, cameras, motors, LED lights, sound-buzzers and magnets are some of the components pupils use to build awesome stuff for learning, fun and innovation. 

These components are mostly imported from countries that have fully developed robotics production infrastructure like China, India and the US.

Besides the expensive prices for robotic lessons, reliable electricity supply is a must. 

This requires a power back up system like mini wi-fi UPS which are great for supplying power for low consuming gadgets. Another exclusionary factor for rural schools.

It is encouraging to note that the University of Zimbabwe and many other tertiary colleges have robotics clubs driven by passionate students. 

Kids Pro, Mukutronics, Impact Hub Harare, Kimtronix, are some of the other private players working in partnership with schools to provide robotics lessons as a way to create a sustainable future.

At the global stage First Global Team Zimbabwe struck gold in 2021 and 2022 when it won the Innovator Award Gold Medal at the games held in Geneva, Switzerland. 

The Zimbabwe robotics team that participated in the First Global Robotics Challenge in Washington DC a few years ago won the hearts of many after they created a robot that could pick out a certain type of trash from a water source. 

The team managed to scale dizzy heights after receiving training at the Zimbabwe Centre of High Performance Computing based at the University of Zimbabwe. 

Getting in the top 20 out of over 100 participating nations including Russia and South Africa was not a mean feat. 

But this success has come at a huge cost. 

Sending the team to compete at international competitions which are mostly held either in the US or Europe requires around US$40 000 to cover costs of the robot kit, the team’s travel, training, food and lodging and uniforms among other requirements.

It is clearly evident that the steep prices of robotic kits are continuously blowing out flames of technopreneurship. 

A plea goes out to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, donor community and corporate sector to at least subsidize the prices so that children from rural under-resourced schools who know only dough making and wire toy making are introduced to the world of electronics and robotics at a tender age.