Robots to invade int'l schools

JAKARTA: In a bid to introduce robot-making for children aged between seven and 12 years old, Singaporean-based company IT Leisure and Education will hold the first Jakarta robotic competition for school students, or JakRobotica, in June.

The competition will be hosted by the Singapore International School at its Bona Vista campus in Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta.

All international schools are expected to participate in the competition, which will require them to design and build robotic soccer players.

Company executive Malcolm Christopher said on Saturday that, in cooperation with Singapore's Robotics World, the company intended to introduce robotics education and technology to Indonesian schools.

"Indonesia needs to catch up with the rest of the world in the development of Information Technology (IT) education because a lot of students go overseas to study and get lost when they are faced with advanced technology they are not familiar with."

Malcolm also said that in Singapore, IT is introduced at a very early age in a child's education. -- JP