Lagos Schools Debate Promotes Critical Thinking, Rewards Winners

“Funmi Ogundare Winners have emerged at the maiden edition of the Lagos schools debate competition aimed at encouraging problem solving, critical thinking and the ability to exercise knowledge retention among students. Themed: ‘Empowering the Next Generation of Nigerian Leaders’, the initiative was spearhead by the World Schools Debate Championship. For senior secondary school category, students debated on ‘This house supports the use of technology to bring back extinct animal species’ , while the junior category debated on ‘This house believes that schools have the right to punish cyber bullying that occurs outside of school’. Wellspring College, Lagos, emerged winner of the senior secondary school category, while Maryland Comprehensive School, came second. In the junior secondary school category, British International Junior School emerged first position, while Grace High School, Gbagada, came second. The winners received trophies and cash gifts. Speaking to journalists on Sunday, the convener, Bukunmi Babatunde, stated that the competition successfully equipped participating students with the necessary skills demonstrating the value of debate as a tool for academic and personal development. She added that it exposed students to the internationally recognised Junior World Schools debate format, which emphasises impromptu speaking and analytical reasoning rather than rote memorisation. On the outcome of the championship, Babatunde described the students’ performances as remarkable, particularly given the demanding nature of the contest, where participants were required to prepare arguments on debate motions within a short period. “The performance of the competitors was quite remarkable considering that in six rounds, they were given debate topics about half an hour before the impromptu preliminary and elimination rounds.” According to her, students displayed confidence, enthusiasm and a strong grasp of core concepts and ideas throughout the competition. She explained that the initiative, is designed to encourage participants to think independently and develop practical problem-solving abilities through impromptu debates. “The purpose is to encourage problem solving, critical thinking and the ability to exercise knowledge retention,” she stated. Emphasising on the overall impact of the debate, the convener said the championship achieved its objectives, citing the quality of speeches delivered during the final round as evidence of its success. “The finals are a testimony to this success. The ability of the students to deliver exceptional speeches on topics they were only presented with 30 minutes before the round demonstrates independent thinking and problem-solving skills,” they said. She further stressed that debate contributes significantly to academic excellence by moving students beyond memorisation-based learning and encouraging deeper engagement with ideas. “Debates foster excellent academic performance because they move away from rote learning to encourage problem solving, critical thinking and the ability to exercise knowledge retention,” she added. While expressing appreciation to sponsors for supporting the initiative, Babatunde called for increased funding and partnerships to expand its reach and provide more Nigerian students with opportunities to participate in high-level debate competitions. “We’re grateful to our sponsors for all of their help in making this a success. Funding for this initiative is necessary to sustain it. We want to grow and expose more Nigerian students to this level of debate and, to achieve that, we need more individuals and corporations to support us,” they said. Babatunde’s aunt, Mrs Ife Fasola described how the project grew from the passion of her niece, who graduated with a first class from the Nigerian Law School and chose to pursue her interest in developing young minds through debate rather than following a conventional career path. According to her, Ayobami remained committed to her vision of teaching children debating skills, despite opportunities in other sectors. “She kept saying she wanted to teach children’s debates and was very adamant that was what she wanted to do. When we saw how passionate she was, we decided to support her,” she said. The initiative began with an online debate club that attracted children from different countries, including India and China. Building on that success, she approached private schools to introduce debate as a co-curricular activity and later sought ways to expose Nigerian students to global debating opportunities. Fasola explained that during discussions with organisers of the international debate competition, they were informed that Nigerian participants would need to demonstrate their capabilities before being considered for the global platform. Rather than waiting for such an opportunity to arise, she stated that the young entrepreneur decided to organise a local competition that would allow international coordinators to assess the quality of Nigerian students firsthand. “She didn’t wait for a competition to happen. She took the initiative to organise one and invited the coordinators to see what Nigerian students could do,” she said. “To bring the project to life, she mobilised support from family members, friends, private schools and sponsors. While participating schools paid registration fees, additional sponsorships were secured to support students from less privileged backgrounds,” she stressed. Fasola expressed optimism that the initiative would attract the attention of the Lagos State government and other stakeholders, particularly following the attendance of the Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development.the previous day. “We are hoping the state government can see what is possible and support the programme going forward. She also called for greater participation from schools and increased sponsorship in future editions, noting that awareness would grow as more people learn about the programme. “The first edition is always challenging because many people do not know about it. Once people start getting to know about it, more schools, sponsors and government agencies will want to be involved because they will see the value it brings,” she added. She believe the initiative will not only strengthen debate culture in Nigerian schools but also create pathways for talented students to compete and excel on the global stage. Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun, advised the students to leverage their critical thinking abilities and communication skills to develop solutions to the myriad challenges confronting society. He encouraged participants to see the exercise as more than a contest, but as a platform for intellectual engagement, self-expression and problem-solving. According to him, the competition provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate what they have learnt over the years, while showcasing their capacity to analyse issues, articulate ideas and contribute meaningfully to national development. “This competition is about displaying your critical thinking, your ability to communicate and your ability to analyse issues affecting our society. It is about identifying challenges and proposing solutions,” he said. Alli-Balogun stressed that the state government remains committed to the welfare, academic performance and overall development of students, noting that creating platforms for young people to express their views and talents is a key component of that commitment. He urged the participants to articulate their vision and mission with confidence, adding that such engagements help prepare them for leadership roles and active citizenship. While encouraging healthy competition among the students, the commissioner emphasised that the essence of the event was not merely to emerge victorious but to cultivate the spirit of participation, learning and collaboration. He also paid tribute to teachers for their dedication and sacrifices in nurturing students, describing them as second parents who play a vital role in shaping the future of society. “All of us must appreciate our teachers for nurturing us and ensuring that we understand the importance of education and character,” he stated. He also commended the students for stepping forward to showcase their talents and ideas, expressing optimism that young people possess the capacity to provide innovative solutions to contemporary societal challenges. Also speaking, the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to partnering with private organisations to create more opportunities for young people, with plans to scale up initiatives that enable them to compete and thrive on the global stage. He noted that government alone could not meet the developmental needs of young people, stressing the importance of collaboration with individuals and organisations investing in youth empowerment. According to him, the state government is committed to supporting initiatives that nurture leadership, critical thinking and talent among young people. “As a government, we can’t do it alone. When we see and hear about private people trying to do things for young people, our leaders of tomorrow starting today, we must be there to support them and see how we can make it bigger, better and brighter,” he stated. The commissioner noted that the government would continue to work with the organisers of the debate championship and explore ways to expand the programme to reach more young people across the state. “We will continue to work with them, and the plan is to see how we can scale up to give our young people the platform to thrive on a global scale,” he added. Commending the organisers for promoting intellectual engagement among students, Ogunlende described the initiative as one that aligns with the state’s vision of preparing young people for future leadership roles. Addressing the participants, he encouraged them to see themselves as winners regardless of the competition’s outcome, noting that the experience gained was as valuable as the prizes. To further motivate the students, the commissioner announced additional cash rewards for the top-performing participants in both categories of the competition. He pledged N200,000 for the first-place winners, N150,000 for the second-place winners and N100,000 for the third-place winners, in addition to the prizes already provided by the organisers.

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