In a groundbreaking achievement, six students from Burhani Serendib School in Colombo have secured a spot in a prestigious global robotics competition, marking a significant milestone for Sri Lankan schoolchildren. This marks the first time students from Sri Lanka have qualified for the International Creativity and Innovation Award (ICIA), a renowned platform celebrating the ingenuity of young minds worldwide. The event is scheduled to take place later this month in Thailand.
The ICIA goes beyond being just a competition; it serves as a holistic learning platform aimed at nurturing creativity and innovation among youth. Aligned with the World Creativity and Innovation Day, an event endorsed by the United Nations, the ICIA underscores the importance of fostering inventive thinking on a global scale.
For Burhani Serendib School, this journey into the global arena represents a significant leap. With the introduction of a robotics curriculum in collaboration with MEU Labs for the academic year 2023/24, the school swiftly formed a dedicated robotics squad, culminating in their qualification for the ICIA. This rapid progression speaks volumes about the talent and dedication of both the students and the faculty involved.
Dr. Shabbir Hussain, the Principal of Burhani Serendib School, expressed immense pride in the students’ achievements. He highlighted the invaluable experiences gained through ICIA activities such as the Virtual Innovation Field Trip and the International Invention Convention, which provide students with a platform to enhance their innovation skills on a global scale.
“At Burhani Serendib School, we strongly believe in equal opportunity,” Dr. Hussain emphasized. “That is why these students are being trained in robotics free of charge, allowing all students to learn and explore robotics irrespective of their background.”
The students are gearing up to showcase two groundbreaking innovations at the competition:
- Blaze Alert: Developed by Hatim Abdulhussain, Mohammed Moiz, and Muffaddal Shiraz, this device aims to revolutionize wildfire management. Equipped with advanced sensors, it detects early signs of wildfires with exceptional accuracy and speed, providing real-time alerts to authorities to prevent potential large-scale disasters.
- The Ocean Sweeper: Created by Husain Zohair, Huzaifa Dawood, and Hatim Zohair, this invention addresses the urgent issue of ocean pollution. The device skims garbage off the water’s surface and collects it into a designated container for efficient recycling, significantly contributing to cleaner oceans and a healthier planet.
Supporting these young innovators is Krya.id, a center dedicated to fostering youth creativity and innovation through education, media, and professional collaborations. Krya.id’s mission is to build a community that inspires and supports the next generation of problem-solvers, preparing them to tackle societal challenges with creative solutions.
As these promising talents from Sri Lanka prepare to step onto the international stage, they not only bring their innovative projects but also carry the hopes of becoming leading problem-solvers for some of the most pressing environmental issues of our time. Their participation in the ICIA serves as a testament to the power of education, equal opportunity, and the unwavering spirit of innovation among Sri Lanka’s youth.
