Curro shines at the World Robot Olympiad in Singapore
02 December 2025The World Robot Olympiad (WRO) International Final in Singapore brought together thousands of learners from more than 90 countries, turning the Sands Expo and Convention Centre into a hub of creativity, engineering, and innovation. Curro learners and Curro judges joined over 500 teams exploring problem-solving through robotics under the theme ‘The Future of Robots’. For many young participants, this event marked a milestone in their STEM journey, offering exposure to real-world challenges on a global platform.
Curro’s delegation served as judges, curriculum leads, and team supporters. Representing schools across the group were Christo Spies (Curro Durbanville), Darren Ellor (Grantleigh), Peet Steyn (Curro Aurora), Jonathan Blom (Curro Krugersdorp), Amanda Roosendaal (Curro Waterfall), Ilmarie von Wielligh (Curro Central Office), Jurie de Jager (Curro Central Office), and Nelma Els-van Rooyen (Curro Waterfall).
A season of remarkable growth
Curriculum Lead: IP Coding & Robotics’ Jurie de Jager noted that the 2025 WRO season reflected extraordinary global expansion. He said: ‘The growth this year has been remarkable. We are now at 27 000 learners worldwide participating in WRO competitions. Over the last three days there were close to 4 000 national winners from almost 100 countries, which is the most countries ever represented at a WRO International Final.’
The scale of the venue also stood out, as he elaborated: ‘The atmosphere was electric. As soon as learners arrived for registration you could feel the excitement. There is a year of practice, hard work and pressure behind every team, and everything builds to these three days. The energy from competitors, spectators and exhibitors was incredible.’
Jurie continued: ‘It’s a whole year of waiting, practising, hard work, sweat and tears, and eventually it comes to this one moment over three days where they get to perform. The excitement was real. The excitement was incredible.’
Highlights from the arena
Curriculum Lead: Foundation Phase’s Ilmarie von Wielligh observed how Curro learners handled the pressure of international competition. She highlighted their calm approach to debugging, the clarity with which they explained design decisions, and the maturity they demonstrated while adjusting strategies during crucial rounds.
She explained: ‘Events like WRO are powerful learning platforms. They teach learners real-world problem-solving, resilience, collaboration, creativity and the ability to think computationally under pressure. Teachers gain insights into emerging global trends in Robotics and Coding, helping them bring fresh ideas back into the classroom. Above all, WRO builds confidence. It shows learners that they can compete on a global stage and that STEM is for everyone.’
Team Foresight stands tall
A major highlight for Curro was Curro Aurora’s Team Foresight, who competed in the Future Innovators Senior category. Jurie said: ‘They performed in one of the most demanding categories. It requires technical understanding, creativity, pitching skills, teamwork and entrepreneurial thinking, all within a five-minute presentation to a panel of judges. The team showed confidence, deep knowledge of their project and strong collaboration. They knew their project inside and out, so their teamwork and hard work throughout the year really shone through.’
He also shared the final result: ‘In their age group, there were 72 teams. Curro Aurora placed 45th, which gives them a bronze placing in the world. Considering how many teams across the globe attempt to reach this level, qualifying alone is enormous. They learned a lot. They have so many ideas when they come back, super motivated, and we’re looking forward to see what they produce next year.’
Advancing South Africa’s presence in global robotics
Ilmarie concluded: ‘Curro and South Africa are steadily becoming stronger players. With continued investment in Coding, Robotics and STEM education, the future looks extremely promising. I see Curro supporting more schools, growing the talent pool and contributing more actively to international discussions about the competition.’