Provincial Schools hold first Inter-School Debating Competition

Author: Cheera-Dee Robinson
Date: 21 September 2021

The Eastern Cape Department of Education hosted its first Provincial Inter-School Debating Competition at the International Convention Center in East London on 17 September 2021.

The School Health, Safety and Learner Enrichment Directorate in collaboration with Beyond Zero, Bum’ingonso, MIET Africa and Songe Social Change, conducted a Provincial Inter-School debating competition recently.  The aim of the competition was to increase knowledge amongst learners about health and psychosocial issues that affect their wellbeing.

Topics included comprehensive sexuality education, pregnancy and provision of sexual reproductive health, right and social services in schools.

Pumla Gxuluwe, Acting Director of School Health, Safety and Learner Enrichment Directorate addressed the learners saying, “We want to see you build your self-esteem and confidence.  Our learners are really thirsty for knowledge through fun and debates is a very good way for our learners to retain information.”

Learners debated for and against many relevant topics that affect them and their school lives.  On the topic Bullying, many learners raised the point that it should be regarded as a punishable criminal offence.  In the minds of learners, they say some learners are using their power to hurt others and they are urging government to come up with harsher consequences for learners that bully, as suicide is on the rise due to bullying.

Learners that were in favor of everyone accessing sexual and reproductive health services inside school premises, highlighted the following points:

  • It promotes safe sex.
  • It educates learners.
  • It protects them from getting STI’s.
  • Will prevent unintended pregnancies.

They also raised the point that when parental consent was taken away, more learners were comfortable testing for HIV.

This event was an extremely successful one and a lot of useful information was acquired from the learners through fun, overall Lamplough Senior Secondary School took first place, second position was taken by Chapman Senior Secondary School with 85% and Cibeni Senior Secondary School took third position with 76.6%.