INTER-SECONDARY SCHOOLS’ DEBATE 2021 SEE STUDENTS SHINE; BREGADO FLAX EDUCATIONAL CENTRE EMERGE AS WINNERS

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The Inter Secondary School Debate series commenced on the 3rd February, 2021, with participating schools being: Bregado Flax Educational Centre Secondary, Cedar International School, Ciboney Centre for Excellence, Claudia Creque Educational Centre Secondary, Elmore Stoutt High School and the Virgin Islands School of Technical Studies.

The annual debate hosted by the Ministry of Education seeks to: encourage students to improve their public speaking skills, communicate various forms of argument effectively in a variety of context, develop the ability to analyse controversies, select and evaluate evidence, construct and refute arguments and interact with students from other schools in the context of a social and intellectual activity.

Some of the general changes made this year as a result of COVID-19 were: a1l debates were held during the day, streaming of the debates by the Government Information Services to facilitate those unable to be present, the venue was changed to the Elmore Stoutt High School Lecture Room #2, the winner of each debate and the loosing team with the highest score automatically advanced to the semi-final round, the winners of each semi-final debate competed in the final debate and teams determined who would debate in each round.

An exciting feature of the debate was the impromptu speech competition where a student pulled a topic from an envelope. The student was given one minute to prepare and at the end of one minute, the student was then given three (3) minutes to speak to the topic. This segment was judged independently of the debate with the winners emerging as Tya Peters of the Elmore Stoutt High school and second place going to Angeleah Cupid of the Virgin Islands School of Technical Studies.

Throughout the debate teams were judged on audibility and clarity, articulation, voice modulation, organization of speech, organization of speech, content of the speech, persuasiveness, fluency, eye contact and body language.

Some of the major sponsors for this year’s debate included: The Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture, Delta Petroleum, Aleman Cordero Galindo & Lee Trust (BVI) LTD, BDO – British Virgin Islands, and James Todman Construction.

The preliminary debate, Debate #1 was held on Wednesday, 3rd February at 11:00am. With students debating the moot, ‘Vaccinations are the most effective means to prevent diseases’. The proposition was conducted by Cedar International School with the emerging winner being the opposition, The Claudia Creque Educational Centre. Best speaker in that round went to Angelina Evans of Claudia Creque Educational Centre.

Debate #2 took place on Wednesday, 3rd February at 1:00 p.m, with teams debating the moot, ‘Lack of self -discipline is the biggest problem affecting learners in Virgin Islands schools.’ The proposition was presented by emerging winners the Elmore Stoutt High School and the opposition by The Virgin Islands School of Technical Studies. The best speaker went to Angeleah Cupid of the Virgin Islands School of Technical Studies.

Debate #3 was held on Thursday 4th February at 11:00 a.m with the moot being ‘Standardized testing in the Virgin Islands school system should be abolished.’ The proposition was presented by Bregado Flax Educational Centre Secondary who won this debate and the opposition by Ciboney Centre for Excellence.  Best Speaker went to Gift Ogbonnaya of Ciboney Centre for Excellence.

In the Semi Finals, Debate #1 held on Wednesday, 17th February at 11:00 a.m, students tackled the topic, ‘The reopening of the Virgin Islands borders would lead to greater economic disruptions.’ The proposition was done by Ciboney Centre for Excellence with the winner being the opposition, Claudia Creque Educational Centre. Best Speaker went to Gift Ogbonnaya of Ciboney Centre for Excellence.

Debate #2 held on Wednesday, 17th February at 1pm covered the moot, ‘The economic and social consequences of lockdowns also known as (stay-at-home) orders could cause more harm than the COVID-19 virus.’ The winning proposition team was The Bregado Flax Educational Centre, with Elmore Stoutt High School opposing.

In the final debate held on Wednesday, 10th March at 11:00 a.m. students tackled the moot, ‘Virtual learning has caused more problems for Virgin Islands students than it has solved.’ The winners were the opposing team of Bregado Flax Educational Centre with the proposition being Claudia Creque Educational Centre. Best Speaker went to Angelina Evans of Claudia Creque Educational Centre. The overall Best Speaker in the debate series went to Gift Ogbonnaya from Ciboney Centre for Excellence.