Overseas School of Colombo (OSC) achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first school in Sri Lanka to compete in the World Robot Olympiad (WRO) 2024.
During the global event, the two teams representing OSC were honoured with silver awards.
Held at Ngee Ann Polytechnic in Singapore, WRO2024 revolved around the theme Earth Allies, focusing on the deep connection between humans and nature. Earth Allies looked at how humans affect nature, and how natural events can affect humanity.
With a strong focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education, the WRO competition emphasises critical thinking, problem-solving and building connections with innovative and progressive schools and communities worldwide.
OSC’s entry into the ‘Future Innovators’ category was a natural fit, aligning seamlessly with the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum that fosters research, innovative design, and resource management.
To prepare for this competition, six OSC students (comprised of Middle and High School learners) were selected to form two teams. The students met consistently after school from October 2023 to September 2024 to develop their projects.
The first OSC team, comprised of Millan, Arnav and Ethan, tackled a critical environmental issue prevalent in Sri Lanka – Waste Mismanagement. Their project focused on building a robot designed to segregate general waste into programmed bins. By integrating colour sensors and a streamlined system, their robot aimed to make a practical impact on landfills and garbage sites, optimising recycling processes and minimising waste.
The second team, made up of Aran, Senaka and Cohen, concentrated on water quality, particularly in regions lacking access to safe drinking water. Their robot was equipped with a pH testing probe, designed to assess water safety by measuring pH levels.
The team’s project, which supports the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), aims to provide an affordable method for communities to test water quality. Their use of LEGO ‘Technic’ and ‘EV3’ components kept the project cost-effective while maintaining accuracy, making it an accessible solution for water-scarce regions.
