KUCHING –More than 200 students from 27 secondary schools are locked in a battle for the winner’s trophy in the Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus debating championship.
The students, who make up a total of 76 teams, are competing in the debate which kicked off on 18 February. The final will be held on 21 February.
The teams are divided into junior category for students from Form 1 to Form 3, and senior category for those from Form 4 to Form 6.
“The debate will take the World Schools Debating format where three students are required per team. The motions, or topics, will be given to debaters 30 minutes before they are to face each other, although students will be provided with the research areas about two weeks before the tournament,” said Christina Yin, advisor of the university’s Debaters’ Club which is organises the event.
She said that to do well, debaters need to have a good general knowledge so as to form opinions and make good arguments in the limited time given.
“The tournament, which is in its eighth year this year, encourages students to debate in English and sharpen their oral and communication skills, their reasoning and critical thinking skills,” said the Associate Dean (Preparatory Studies) of the Faculty of Language and Communication.
Yin said that the prizes up for grabs include trophies for the Champions, Runners Up, Best Debater in the Final, Best Overall Debaters, Best Speaker of English and Most Promising Team in both categories.
The chief adjudicator this year will be the university’s own lecturer and former debate champion, Hugh John Leong, while the deputy chief adjudicators are from Peninsular Malaysia. They will decide on the motions, or topics, to be debated.
Last year, SMA Katholik Santu Petrus from Pontianak in West Kalimantan which took part in the tournament for the first time, emerged champion after beating SMK Green Road in the senior category.
SM Lodge was crowned champion in the junior category while St Joseph Private School was named Most Promising Team.
