Seven finalists have made it to the final stage of The Young Debaters (TYD) competition in Accra, where the winner will represent the country at the International Public Speaking Competition (IPSC) in the United Kingdom.
In all, 11 debaters from five Senior High Schools participated in the semi-finals stage. The schools include Accra Girls’, Akosombo International, Accra High, Ghana International, and Chemu High. Each was given five minutes to present on different topics carved out of the 2023 theme, ‘You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression’.
All three students from the Accra Girls’ Senior High School who participated in the competition qualified for the final stage, with the other four schools having one representative each at the finals.
The seven speakers who made it to the finals are as follows: Agarewaa Mensah-Bonsu, Accra Girls’; Klenam Antoine Francois De- Souza, Akosombo International School; Pihu Jha ,Ghana International School; Mercy Abla Buckman, Accra High; Fathia Dramani, Accra Girls’; Jedida Irene Komla, Accra Girls’; and McKenzie Van Abeasi Damprani of Chemu High.
One of the finalists, Mercy Abla Buckman, in an interview with the B&FT, expressed her excitement, saying: “As a Science student, I know it is not going to be easy but I will make time by practising always to put out my best at the finals. I am ready to put my last drop of blood on the competition”.
All participants received certificates of participation and two novels by African writers, with the winners receiving medals as well.
Eugenia Tachie-Menson, Country Director of Young Educators Foundation and Salomé Dzapasu, Programmes Coordinator at the foundation, advised speakers to focus on gaining understanding when studying, rather than committing things to memory.
Ms. Eugenia explained further, saying: “Understand what you’re doing and use your own words to explain it”.
TYD is an initiative of the Young Educators Foundation (YEF), a Ghanaian NGO that promotes education and literacy.
The finals will come off April 1, 2023. The winner will represent the country at the IPSC in the United Kingdom later this year.
