Debate
By Oluwatope Lawanson
Abeokuta, Ogun Sept. 27, 2018 (NAN) A total of 40 schools would participate in the second Ogun Inter- Secondary School Debate Competition jointly organised by Park-Inn/Radisson Hotel Group and Kola Obadimu Jr Playhouse.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the debate, themed – ‘Education and the Nigerian Child’ – would begin on Oct. 22 and end on Feb. 28, 2019.
Mr Kayode Aina, General Manager of Park-Inn/Radisson Group, told newsmen in Lagos on Thursday that the competition was the group’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme aimed at supporting the Nigerian children.
“The group will continue to support the Nigerian child’s curiosity and learning through our CSR which uses inter-school debates as a tool to rejuvenate healthy competition among secondary schools in Nigeria.
“You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.
“The second edition of the Inter- Secondary School Debate is a bigger competition than the first, with forty secondary schools (public and private), scheduled to participate,” he said.
Aina explained that the debates are aimed at broadening the minds of the children, helping them to research, think outside the box and exchange views on a wide range of topical issues.
Mr Kola Obadimu, a television and radio drama writer and producer, said the debate would encourage education and and help develop the pupils in critical thinking.
“Basically, it is aimed at developing the intellectual prowess of the students and exposing them to critical thinking.
“The children are the future of any society, it is also a way of promoting educational tourism in Nigeria,” he said.
Earlier, Mr Martins Akinsolu, Director of Education Support Services, Ogun State Ministry of Education, urged corporate bodies and philanthropists to contribute to the development of education sector.
“With the introduction of the Inter- Secondary School Debate Competition, the students will be exposed and it will help them to discover themselves.
“It will encourage the participants to be bold, confident and be able to think fast,” he said.
NAN recalls that 20 secondary schools participated in the inaugural edition of the debate held in 2017 which produced Victorroti Private Secondary School, Idi Aba, Abeokuta as the overall winner.
Three debaters from the winning school – Taiwo Okeleye, Kehinde Okeleye and Mary-Ann Zubair – won a three-day all expense paid educational tour to Kenya. (NAN)
LAW/OSA/WOJ
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Edited by Shittu Obassa/Wale Ojetimi