Borno Students Build Robot Teacher to Support Children in Crisis-Affected Communities
Secondary-school students in Borno State have celebrated a major milestone after developing a humanoid robot designed to support children’s learning, particularly in communities affected by insecurity and limited access to teachers.
The prototype, named “Max Zulum” after Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, was unveiled in Maiduguri during the graduation ceremony of the six-month “Empowering Ideas, Empowering Communities” Artificial Intelligence Bootcamp and Data-Analytics Fellowship.
The students, drawn from six schools across the state, received training in coding, robotics, artificial intelligence and data analytics before working together to develop the teaching robot.
Standing about 1.2 metres tall, Max Zulum features a screen, speaker and microphone system that allows it to interact with learners through voice. According to one of its student developers, the robot can respond to questions and provide step-by-step explanations, particularly in primary-level mathematics and science.
The innovation is particularly significant for children living in communities where insecurity, displacement and shortages of qualified teachers can disrupt learning.
One of the participants, Fatima Abdulrahman, who received the bootcamp’s innovation award, said the experience had changed how she viewed technology and its ability to support children in her community.
The students’ achievement also demonstrates the potential of giving children opportunities to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The Borno State Information and Communication Technology Development Agency said it would provide further training and exposure to help the young innovators develop their ideas and gain wider recognition.
The achievement offers a reminder that children affected by difficult circumstances can also become creators of solutions for their communities when given the opportunity, skills and support to innovate.
