It’s been one month of excitement, suspense, sensation, jubilation , heartaches sad moments and even tears. Suddenly, the moment and glory beckons. The finalists are now known: Opoku Ware School and T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School. Tepa Senior High School and Armed Forces Senior High Technical School will settle for the third and fourth places.
The debate began even before the launch. The selection of 16 schools ( based on WASSCE and Presidential Debate performances) for the maiden edition of the Luv FM High School Debate, ruffled feathers. Old student groups of schools and other stakeholders who felt their alma mater should be part asked questions.
Obviously, the stage had been set by Prempeh College and Kumasi High School earlier in March when Luv FM organised an education fair. The two male schools lit up the event with eloquence, intelligence and oratory when their representatives spoke for or against whether English, Mathematics and Science should determine the fate of people who want to access tertiary education. Kumasi High School were runaway winners.
After weeks and months of exciting radio, television and social media campaigns, Luv FM High School Debate was launched on 14th to pave way for the competition proper to take off on the 21st September, 2018.
Besides the juicy prizes the organisers unveiled, Chairperson for the colourful launch, Theodora Jackson, who is also President of Jackson Education Complex, threw further baits at the competing schools.
She pledged and later delivered cash of 6,000 Ghana cedis for the ultimate winner, as well as the first and second runners-up in addition to 2,600 pieces of exercise books for all contesting schools from the 1/16th stage to the grand finale.
The contest got off to an electrifying start with a duel between Yaa Asantewaa Girls Senior High (YAGSS) and Kumasi Girls Senior High (KGEE) in an all-female duel won by YAGSS.
Contest after contest, from the preliminary and other qualifying stages, debaters gave patrons excitement and food for thought, with show of oratory, deep thought and research into topics. Moments of celebration and disappointment have come thick and fast.
Bank crisis, free SHS, double track system, Galamsey, Politics, environment, sanitation and other issues of national interest, handled with the expertise.
No school performed below par. In fact, that is what scores in all contests suggest. No wonder the semi-final clash between Armed Forces and T.I. AMASS was decided by just one point: 228-227.
The judges, two permanent, Nana Yeboah Asiama II, Ghana Education Service Presidential Debate Co-ordinator for Ashanti Region, and Cecilia Quansah, a former Head of English Language Department, College of Technology Education, University of Education, Winneba, and one guest, perhaps, have had the toughest of time.
The task of weighing submissions by opposing teams to make a decision by way of awarding marks, within set parameters, is certainly not a child’s play.
Females have established dominance in the completion with a heavy representation. Even mixed schools have females holding torches for their schools. No wonder, one such pair from T.I AMASS is in the finals to face male counterpart from OWASS. One of them, Asakia Hawaw Hannan, has received positive compliments and plaudits even from her opponents.
It promises to be yet another cracker, with high stakes.
The motion is, ‘’Leadership is Responsible for Ghana’s Slow Pace of Development’’.
Two sensations, Tepa Senior High School and Armed Forces Senior High Technical School, will slug it out for the third place position on the motion, ‘’Culture is Cause of Corruption’’.
The prizes are just mouth-watering and irresistible for schools and debaters, the overall best of whom will pick the Multimedia Group Limited Chief Executive’s Special Prize.
There is a general public consensus about the potential of Luv FM High School Debate to become a flagship national competition.
Well, General Manager, Multimedia Group, Kumasi, James Aglah, says, ‘’Ghanaians must expect something in the magnitude of the National Math sans Science Quiz’’.
Before then, let’s meet at the Christian Service University College Auditorium to witness who wears the crown for the maiden edition.
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