MTC, ENERGY 100 launch High School Debate competition

WINDHOEK, Feb. 6 – Mobile Telecommunications Namibia (MTC), partnered with Energy 100FM and launched the MTC Energy 100FM High Schools Debate Competition today.

The competition launch took place at the Franco Namibia Cultural Centre in Windhoek, and seeks to stimulate and advance the principle of critical and creative thinking to realise academic excellence amongst learners.

Embracing the theme “…raise your argument, not your voice,” this championship is scheduled to commence from 6 March until 26 July 2018, and will be airing on Energy 100FM every Tuesday and Thursday from 14:30 to 15:30. Twenty-four high schools have registered as contestants.

Speaking at the launch, Deputy Minister of Education, Arts and Culture, Anne Nghipondoka applauded the initiative and expressed that it is a brilliant platform to sharpen the learners’ ability to postulate their standpoint through rhetorical eloquence, and instils a great sense of self-assurance and confidence. “It teaches them the skills of researching, organising, and presenting information in a compelling fashion,” said Nghipondoka.

MTC’s Chief Human Capital and Corporate Affairs stated that MTC has thrown its support behind this initiative in order to empower and encourage the learners to engage in open debates. “This cause will enable them to become less narrow-minded, consider all viewpoints to arguments, provide scope and structure to their work and practice to develop the art of public speaking,” stated Ekandjo.

Ekandjo concluded with an emphasis that debates contributes to students high-level thinking skills through application, analysis, evaluation and creativity. “They come to understand what they believe about the issues that confront them around our cultures and why, not to mention the increased problem-solving abilities and overall academic performance that they stand to gain from engaging in thought-provoking debates and come up with both compelling arguments and defence stances. We hope that this will most importantly, teach the students to raise their arguments.” – NDN Staffer