Shoprite Foundation Brings Robotics and AI Learning to Khayelitsha School

Shoprite Foundation Brings Robotics and AI Learning to Khayelitsha School. Learners at Joe Slovo Engineering High School now have access to robotics, coding, and digital learning through a newly launched robotics lab established by the Shoprite Foundation.

The facility was officially launched on 8 May in the presence of Siviwe Gwarube and forms part of the Foundation’s national programme focused on technology driven and future focused skills development. The launch also marks the expansion of the initiative into the Western Cape.

The robotics lab is equipped with robotics kits, laptops, microcontrollers, and sensors. The programme combines practical and digital learning, taking learners from introductory coding to robotics design and programming.

Maude Modise, Director of the Shoprite Foundation, said the school’s STEM focus made it a suitable environment for expanding learners’ technical skills through hands on experience. She added that the initiative aimed to introduce engineering, coding, and artificial intelligence into classrooms where access to advanced resources has been limited.

Modise also referred to a 2023 study published in Sensors, which found that long term access to robotics education can increase students’ interest in pursuing technical careers, including engineering and artificial intelligence, by 32%.

Speaking at the launch, Gwarube said young people needed skills and knowledge that would help them succeed in a rapidly changing global economy.

At Joe Slovo Engineering High School, coding and robotics have been incorporated into the formal timetable for Grades 8 and 9. The subjects include computational reasoning, electronics, and programming, with assessments contributing to academic records. For Grades 10 to 12 learners, the programme is offered after school and includes artificial intelligence, Internet of Things applications, and system design.

Sifiso EdTech is responsible for implementing the programme and managing the lab setup, equipment, curriculum aligned content, and teacher training. The organisation also provides ongoing support aimed at integrating the lab into daily teaching and learning activities.

Xoliswa Mahlangu, Head of Digital Learning and Technology at Sifiso EdTech, said learners were actively building, testing, and refining projects in the lab, adding that the experience was increasing engagement and confidence among students.

Established in the early 2000s, Joe Slovo Engineering High School has maintained a focus on academic performance, recording matric pass rates of up to 99% in recent years. The Shoprite Foundation has now established six robotics labs nationally, with a seventh planned for Soweto later this month in partnership with the Trevor Noah Foundation.