More than 280 primary school pupils from across Montenegro take part in the second national RoboFin 2026 robotics competition

More than 280 primary school pupils from across Montenegro gathered in Podgorica on Saturday, 31 October, for the Second National Robotics Competition for Young Children, “RoboFin 2026”, held at the Sports and Cultural Centre of the University of Montenegro.

This year, for the first time, the competition was organised in two age categories, allowing tasks to be tailored to pupils’ age, knowledge and abilities. The Robo-malci category, intended for first- and second-grade primary school pupils, brought together 24 teams, while 48 teams competed in the Robo-znalci category, designed for third- and fourth-grade pupils.

Through building and programming robots, pupils tackled practical challenges that combined technological knowledge with the fundamentals of financial literacy, including saving, planning and responsible money management. The competition challenged them to demonstrate creativity, logical thinking, precision and teamwork, while also providing an opportunity to put into practice the knowledge they had acquired through activities at their schools.

The competition was organised to mark Savings Week and World Savings Day, as part of the national programme “Robotics for Young Children”. It was organised by the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, the Central Bank of Montenegro and the Innovation Fund of Montenegro, with Crnogorska Komercijalna Banka AD Podgorica as this year’s sponsor.

In the Robo-znalci category (grades III and IV), first place was awarded to the “Roboklinci” team from “Kekec” Primary School in Sutomore. Second place went to “Robofinity” from “21. maj” Primary School in Podgorica, while third place was won by “Robotim” from “Dr Dragiša Ivanović” Primary School in Podgorica.

In the Robo-malci category (grades I and II), first place was won by the “Level Up” team from “Daćiće” Primary School in Rožaje. Second place went to “Robopčelice” from “Savo Pejanović” Primary School in Podgorica, while third place was awarded to “Oktorob” from “Oktoih” Primary School in Podgorica.

Special awards for the most creative robot design went to the “RoboMunje” team from “Štampar Makarije” Primary School in Podgorica in the Robo-malci category, and the “Robo Vukovi” team from “Mahmut Lekić” Primary School in Tuzi in the Robo-znalci category. The awards for the best educational videos on financial literacy were presented to “Robomatix” from “21. maj” Primary School in Podgorica in the Robo-malci category and “Iskrice” from “Savo Pejanović” Primary School in Podgorica in the Robo-znalci category.

Addressing the participants at the opening ceremony, Katarina Lalović, Executive Director of the Innovation Fund of Montenegro, highlighted the importance of learning through hands-on activities, exploration and collaboration.

“RoboFin brings together robotics, creativity and financial literacy, but above all, it demonstrates how much children can learn when they have the support of their teachers, schools and families. Dear competitors, today it is not only about which team will be the fastest or score the most points. What matters is that you think, collaborate, experiment and do not give up when something does not work the first time. This is exactly how good ideas emerge and valuable experience is gained,” Lalović said.

Trophies, medals, 3D-printed piggy banks and robotics kits were presented to the winning teams in the Robo-znalci category by Savica Vujičić, Acting Director General of the Directorate for Innovation at the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation. The awards for the winning teams in the Robo-malci category were presented by Biljana Gligorić, Adviser to the Governor of the Central Bank of Montenegro. Special awards were presented by Katarina Lalović, Executive Director of the Innovation Fund of Montenegro.

A particularly valuable contribution to this year’s competition was the distribution of educational robotics kits to all 42 participating schools, further strengthening the conditions for hands-on learning and the development of robotics and programming skills. The kits were presented to school representatives by Nemanja Đurašković, Director of the Marketing and Communications Department at Crnogorska Komercijalna Banka, and Snežana Šćepanović, Programme Coordinator at the Innovation Fund of Montenegro.

The ceremony was further enriched by a performance by the children’s choir of “Milorad-Musa Burzan” Primary School, consisting of 30 members and led by teacher Bojana Nenezić.

About the programme

“RoboFin” is implemented as part of the national programme “Robotics for Young Children”, launched in 2022 as a pilot initiative in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation and the Institute for Education. The programme was designed to provide pupils in the lower grades of primary school with their first experience of robotics and programming, while simultaneously developing logical thinking, creativity, teamwork and financial literacy.

The pilot phase was implemented in four primary schools in Podgorica. Due to strong interest from educational institutions, the programme was expanded, with donor support, to an additional 16 schools, reaching educational institutions across all three regions of Montenegro. Thanks to the continued support of the Central Bank of Montenegro, the programme gradually evolved into a national initiative that now encompasses more than 160 primary schools across the country.

A particular focus of the programme is on strengthening the capacities of teaching staff. Twelve teachers have successfully completed the Training of Trainers programme for “Robotics for Young Children”, while more than 330 teachers across Montenegro have attended the accredited training course entitled “Applying Robotics for Innovative Teaching Methods and the Development of Key Student Competencies”. Schools have been equipped with educational robots, enabling teachers to introduce modern and interactive teaching methods and allowing pupils to acquire new knowledge through practical activities.

By bringing together robotics, programming and financial literacy, the “Robotics for Young Children” programme contributes to the development of digital competencies among children and encourages them, from an early age, to explore, experiment and approach problem-solving creatively.

The Second National Robotics Competition for Young Children, “RoboFin 2026”, builds on these activities and provides pupils with an opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge and skills acquired through their work at school, while further developing their interest in technology, innovation and responsible money management through socialising and the exchange of experiences.

More information about the “Robotics for Young Children” programme is available at www.robotikazanajmladje.me and on Instagram at @robotikazanajmladje.