The campus of NWU Potchefstroom was shaken up recently as Curro Holdings, the JSE-listed independent school group, hosted its annual Esports Indaba. The whirlwind three-day event gathered 120 participants, ranging from sharp-minded coaches to visionary school leaders and diehard esports fanatics, for an electrifying deep dive that left no pixel unturned.
In a powerhouse partnership with Acer for Education and industry titans like ACGL, Curro assembled a lineup bursting with immersive workshops and stellar keynote speakers. The program spanned the mind-bending realms of Minecraft Education, curated by brilliant educator Stephen Reid, to adrenaline-pumping hands-on strategy sessions by the African Cyber Gaming League (ACGL) for games like Rocket League and Valorant.
Glenn du Toit, country manager of Acer Africa, took the stage to delve into the harmonious relationship between AI and education, painting a future where gaming and learning are inextricably intertwined. Influencer and luminary player Julia ‘Bish’ Robson regaled the audience with her spellbinding esports journey, while ACGL co-owner Nick Holden cast his vision for the future of South African esports talent and ambition.
“Esports is the future, and Curro recognises that,” said Holden during his keynote. “They were among the first school groups to make competitive gaming part of their offering after seeing its popularity explode during the pandemic. Now they’ve launched their own secure esports platform and are even winning international Minecraft tournaments.”
The Indaba represented the cutting-edge of Curro’s innovative approach to bringing esports into the classroom. By tapping into students’ natural passions for gaming, they aim to gamify learning in a way that prepares the next generation for careers at the intersection of technology and entertainment.
