The World Economic Forum estimated that by 2022 big companies will have adopted emerging advanced technologies such as machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.
The role played by science in achieving global goals such as those contained in United Nations Agenda 2030, African Union Agenda 2063 and Africa Union’s Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA-2024), is widely acknowledged.
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) skills form the basis of most of the fastest growing jobs such as data scientists, AI and machine learning specialists and software applications developers and analysts, education experts say.
It is in this context that young students who have benefited from the recent Youth STEM Boot Camp are aspiring to become Rwanda’s future "Einstein” in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution conceptualizes rapid change to technology, industries, and societal patterns and processes in the 21st century due to increasing interconnectivity and smart automation.
The boot camp held at Fawe Girls’ School has exposed trainers to different instructional strategies using latest advanced technologies such as AI and robotics as well as micro-science kits which have been minimally exploited in educational contexts in Africa.
The training was aimed to equip the students and youths with hands-on experience on these different innovative technologies to enhance their confidence in the use of such tools.
"From the boot camp we have gained skills in 3D Printing, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics,” said Kellia Sylvia Ukundwanawe, a student from FAWE Girls’ school.
3D Printing is a process for making a physical object from a three-dimensional digital model, typically by laying down many successive thin layers of a material.
It brings a digital object into its physical form by adding layer by layer of materials.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science which involves developing computer programs to complete tasks which would otherwise require human intelligence.
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, and application of robot which is a machine resembling a human being and able to replicate certain human movements and functions automatically.
"It is not about robotics only but I have also learnt values that scientists must have such as confidence. As scientists we have to work, we have to create as the future scientists, as the Einstein,” she said and requested for boot camps during holidays where students will get more practices to shape the future for young scientists.
Charles Innocent Mugabe, another senior five student who learns Mathematics, Physics and Geography (MPG) at Lycée de Kigali said that Micro-science kits should be scaled up to ease the access to practical experience in all schools.
"We have learnt how you can assemble and make a robot that moves. This has opened our mind because we spent a lot of time on the practice. We will be able to train other students,” he said.
Callixte Gatera, one of the teachers who trained the students, said that there is need for improving the way of teaching STEM to ensure education responds to what is needed in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
"There is need for STEM centres that could facilitate boot camps for students,” he said.
Paul Umukunzi, Director General of Rwanda TVET Board (RTB) said that all emerging technologies in Fourth Industrial Revolution are built on science and technology that should be taught well in schools using the latest technologies.
"The government is gradually investing in the latest kits that should be used in practices to ensure they get ready for labour market in the era of Fourth Industrial Revolution. We are thinking of a fund that could support the innovations and prototypes made by students,” he said.
Dominique Mvunabandi, Director of Science and Technology Unity in Rwanda National Commission for UNESCO (CNRU) which has supported the program said 130 students from 20 schools in Kigali have been trained on 3D Printing, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.
"Some students, after being trained, designed different projects using Robotics in the transport sector, agriculture, natural resources management and others and those who designed projects on using 3D printing in industries,” he said.