Ndapandula Vanyika
A 13-year-old Grade 7 learner at Makalani Primary School in Grootfontein, Otjozondjupa region, Soini Shoonga, has emerged as a young innovator after developing an interactive, solar-powered mathematics quiz game designed to make learning fun and less intimidating.
Shoonga, who is currently living with his aunt and cousins while his parents are in Oshakati, won the Best Innovation Project award, earning N$20 000. Using recycled materials, he developed an award-winning educational tool and is now working on an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered application to help fellow Namibian learners struggling with mathematics,
particularly long division. Shoonga said his journey did not begin in a high-tech laboratory, but in the classroom, where he watched his classmates freeze and struggle whenever mathematical notation appeared on the board.
“I saw my friends were struggling, and I wanted to make maths something we can touch and play with and not just something we can fear,” he said.
Shoonga said he was inspired by an educational biology quiz he came across on YouTube. This prompted him to consider how electrical circuits could be used to teach mathematics. “For months, I have been collecting recycled materials, like cardboard, old wires and bottle caps, just so that I can build a quiz board powered by solar energy,” he said.
He credited his parents, teachers and classmates for motivating him and supporting his journey. However, the development process came with several challenges, including the limited availability of battery holders and difficulties getting the red light to work properly. “These challenges made the building process difficult, but they taught me to be patient,” he said. The device features a selector for mathematical operations and an electrical circuit that lights up or buzzes when a learner selects the correct answer. The interactive design provides instant feedback, turning abstract mathematical concepts into a game.
Shoonga said one of the project’s biggest advantages was that it could be used in classrooms without access to electricity, particularly in rural schools, because it is powered by solar energy. He entered the project in the Grootfontein Circuit Science Fair, where judges recognised its ingenuity and practical application. He secured third place, earning an opportunity to participate in the National Science Fair.
“Winning was unexpected, but I believe I did it. This experience has encouraged me to pursue my passion,” he said.
Shoonga is now determined to expand his work beyond the physical quiz board. He is developing Quiz Tutor, an educational application covering mathematics, English, Social Studies, Natural Science and Religious and moral education.
The AI-powered application is intended to assist learners with homework and provide educational support tailored to Namibian learners in Grades 5 to 7. His Mathematics teacher and science fair coordinator, Sharon Kahimbi Mbala, said she was proud of his outstanding achievement at the National Science Fair, where he reportedly won N$420 000. “This remarkable accomplishment is a reflection of his creativity, hard work and determination. His achievement makes me proud, not only as his teacher but also as someone who has witnessed his growth,” Mbala said.
She described Shoonga as a learner with great potential and said she had consistently encouraged him to work hard and believe in himself. His journey, she added, serves as an inspiration to other learners.
“Congratulations, Shoonga. You have made your school, your teachers and everyone who believes in you proud. Keep shining, keep innovating and keep reaching greater heights,” she said. – kulaumonendapandula@gmail.com
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