Nairobi Jaffery Academy emerged the champion in the 3rd series of the Crawford International School student Game Jam as Oshwal Academy came in second and Brookhurst School secured the third place.
The three day competition attracted over 100 students from eleven schools mainly from Nairobi.
The learners aged between 12 and 18 years developed games from scratch and presented them for assessment.
The Judging criteria was based on four key elements which included programming, graphics, sound and gameplay.
Further, teams were assessed on their ability to innovate, maintain high-quality standards and the submission of complete projects.
The first team won Sh100, 000 while the first runners-up team bagged Sh60, 000 and the second runners-up team received Sh30, 000.
The event aims at inspiring Kenyan students talented in gaming to develop their own games and compete with other schools.
Additionally, the contest creates an avenue for learners to develop networks and bonds that will sharpen their skills in coding, graphics, language and arts.
“Our goal was to create an engaging and fun environment for students to connect, utilize their skills and talents and learn from the experts,” said Ezekiel Muriithi, the Head of Marketing and Communications at Crawford International School.
“We were thrilled to see such a passionate turnout and to witness the incredible talent among our schools,” he expressed.
Muriithi observed that this Game Jam is the perfect platform for young people to enter the world of programming and design, which is both competitive and challenging.
He noted that the participants gain experience working under pressure in a game development environment, providing them with an advantage as they advance into various fields.
Apart from entertainment and social networking, e-gaming is becoming a powerful tool in modern education, fostering a dynamic and engaging learning environment because when learning is fun, it becomes more enjoyable.
Educational games can enhance cognitive abilities, including memory, attention, and spatial reasoning and can be adapted to different learning styles and paces, allowing personalized learning experiences.
By Michael Omondi
