The Kenya Cubing Federation is advocating for the inclusion of cubing games in the school curriculum to enhance students' problem-solving skills and discipline. This move aligns with the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), which emphasizes hands-on learning. By integrating cubing into academic activities, the federation aims to provide students with a platform to develop their skills while pursuing their academic goals. Cubing is a mind-engaging and innovative sport that requires concentration, memory, problem-solving, hand-eye coordination, and speed.
The Kenya Cubing Federation recently launched the Speedcubing School Championships at Zetech University in Ruiru. During the event, Federation President Wycliffe Sirengo encouraged students to practice consistently and use the game to develop their skills, connect with others, and explore opportunities beyond school. He urged students to reduce their screen time and dedicate more time to speedcubing, highlighting the potential for cubing to open up opportunities for them to represent their schools, counties, Kenya, and Africa in international competitions.
Sirengo emphasized the importance of balancing sports and education, advising students to work hard in their studies, obey their teachers, and respect their parents. He cited examples of Kenyan competitors who had achieved success in international competitions with minimal training, encouraging students to remain committed to the sport. The event brought together students and officials for the competition and promotion of speedcubing among learners.
Cubing involves solving Rubik's cubes and other twisty puzzles accurately and quickly. Participants, known as 'cubers,' engage in different cube stages, including the 2×2, 3×3, 4×4, and larger cubes. The sport requires concentration, memory, problem-solving, hand-eye coordination, and speed. Competitors are timed, and the person who solves the puzzle within the shortest time and within set competition rules wins the game.
Kenya Cubing Federation Secretary General Grace Wangari commended the students for their progress, urging them to continue practicing and training regularly to improve their skills. She noted that students who had little or no knowledge of the game two months ago had made significant progress, with some advancing from solving the 3×3 cube to mastering the complex 2×2 cube.
The federation is engaging the Ministry of Education to integrate cubing into the Competency-Based Curriculum. According to Samuel Kamau, the federation is developing mechanisms to expand cubing to schools and learning institutions countrywide to nurture young talent. The activity combines elements of mathematics, science, sport, and art, providing students with an opportunity to develop skills beyond the classroom while exposing them to competitive activities.
The federation plans to expand cubing to the wider East African region, including Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Kenyan cubers are being prepared to participate in regional, continental, and global competitions, with a competition scheduled to take place in Arusha, Tanzania, in November. The federation is also exploring partnerships with schools in other countries to create opportunities for Kenyan students to participate in international events and interact with cubers from different parts of the world.
Key points
- The Kenya Cubing Federation aims to integrate cubing into the school curriculum to develop problem-solving skills and discipline in students.
