Orient secures place at Robotics National event

By Azra Hoosen

Orient Islamic School’s (OIS) MegaMindZ Robotics Team has secured a place at the FIRST LEGO League National Championships in Johannesburg, after placing first for Robot Performance and third overall among approximately 40 schools at the KwaZulu-Natal regional tournament. 

The Durban-based school was the only Muslim school competing.

Now in its second year of participation, MegaMindZ returned to the competition after narrowly missing qualification for Nationals by just one position last year. Months of preparation, research and teamwork have now seen the learners take an important step forward.

Ten OIS learners, from Grades 9 to 11, took part in the FIRST LEGO League, an international science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programme that encourages young people to become creative thinkers, problem-solvers and innovators.

The competition has three main components: a robot game in which learners design, build and programme an autonomous LEGO robot to complete challenges; an innovation project based on a real-world problem; and the demonstration of core values such as teamwork, inclusion, respect and professionalism.

Feroza Ismail, MegaMindZ FLL Team Educator, told Al-Qalam that the experience goes beyond building and programming robots. “It challenges the learners to think critically, experiment, learn from their mistakes and work together to develop creative solutions to meaningful, real-world problems,” she said.

Educator and mentor Muhammed Minty said that the educators deliberately gave learners the opportunity to take ownership of the project. “As mentor educators, we took a back seat on this project and made our Grade 11 learners coaches.”

There was a lot of hard work and late nights behind this project. “Seeing the learners drive one another, apply what they had learnt in coding, robotics and science and take the lead had been particularly rewarding,” Minty added.

The team’s innovation project was developed around the 2026/2027 season’s BIOGLOW theme, which focuses on biodiversity, ecosystems and environmental protection. The learners developed a rainwater harvesting system connected to automated drip irrigation, designed to use water more efficiently when growing crops. 

The project was inspired by the challenges of water scarcity in South Africa and the need for more sustainable farming practices.

The prototype uses soil moisture sensors to detect when the soil is dry, activating motors that release water through a drip irrigation system. This allows plants to receive water according to their needs while limiting unnecessary wastage.

For Grade 11 learner Maseehah Khan, the competition was an experience filled with challenges, excitement and valuable lessons. “What’s been most enjoyable is seeing our teamwork come together and watching our ideas turn into reality,” she said.

Competing against approximately 40 schools also exposed the learners to different levels of talent and creativity, pushing them to challenge themselves and learn from others. Khan said that being selected as a female coach had made the experience particularly special, describing it as a responsibility she was proud to carry.

The team is now preparing for Nationals, where it will focus on refining its robot, improving its programming and attachments and strengthening its innovation project.

The learners representing Orient Islamic School are Zaara Mariam Ponnan, Maseehah Khan, Zainab Mahmood, Omar Mahmood, Mohammed Ziaudeen Ahmod, Afzal Patel, Rayhaan Gani, Shahbaaz Moolla, Yusuf Essa and Komal Ullah.

The team’s qualification is also an opportunity to highlight the importance of exposing young Muslim learners to STEM. As technology and scientific innovation continue to shape society, encouraging learners to develop their skills in these fields is important in preparing them to contribute to future advancements.

The MegaMindZ team will now take its rainwater harvesting project and robotics skills to Johannesburg, where it will represent OIS at the national competition.

“Our aim is to challenge ourselves, push our capabilities even further and make the most of this incredible opportunity,” Ismail said.