Ntare wins Western Region Green Schools debate championship
Jun 25, 2024
The contest attracted 18 debate teams from nine schools in the western region.
Kigezi High School will particiapte the nationals after coming third in the western region championships on June 24. (Photo by Stephen Nuwagira)
Stephen Nuwagira
Journalist @New Vision
______________ The participants with their patrons and judges pose for a group photo after the competition. Second left (background) is New Vision's Sidney Miria. (Photo by Stephen Nuwagira)
Young people are a crucial component in efforts aimed at promoting environmental conservation and fighting the impacts of climate, according to Ibanda Municipality principal education officer Dennis Ntare.
“Being the next generation of leaders it is crucial that the youth join the debate on environment and climate issues.
This will help to strengthen conservation efforts aimed at healing Mother Earth,” he said. The official was speaking at the end of the Green Schools debate contest on climate change at Kibubura Girls’ SS in Ibanda town.
Ntare School beat eight other competing schools to emerge as the western regional winners in the second edition of the competition that is running on the theme “Climate Change innovations that work”.
The Mbarara city-based school clinched the top spot after a day-long contest that exhibited the students’ debating, analytical, and communication skills, as well as their knowledge of climate change and environmental conservation, policy, implementation, and enforcement issues.
Mary Hill High School, also from Mbarara city, was the first runner-up while Kigezi High School emerged the third in the competition held at Kibubura Girls’ SS in Ibanda town, Ibanda Municipality. The three schools will head to Kampala in August for the national-level challenge as the region’s representatives.
The contest attracted 18 debate teams from nine schools in the western region.
The debate is one of the two tracks of the green school initiative, which was launched in 2023 to sensitize the public on climate change mitigation and adaptation using the school system as the entry point.
The project`s other track focuses on innovative solutions, aimed at mitigating or adapting to climate change.
The Swedish Embassy in Uganda is funding the initiative, which is currently in its second year of implementation by Vision Group in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
On Monday, Ntare lauded the initiative saying it grounds the learners in climate issues and challenges them to seek solutions that can help to reduce the destruction of the environment.
He added that it supported the new curriculum which focuses on producing problem solvers compared to the old one which was largely theoretical, saying debaters have exhibited critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Speaking on the sidelines of the debate, Fredrick Musimenta, from Uganda Dialogue Arena and the chief adjudicator for the Green Schools debate, said the debaters at Kibubura Girls’ had exhibited skill, noting that it was the hottest compared to earlier ones in West Nile, Lango, and Toro regions.
Other stakeholders:
Celia Amanya, the host head teacher, encouraged school heads and government officials to be at the forefront of fostering climate-smart initiatives to help reduce climate change effects.
Let’s all embrace efforts geared at combating climate change as schools, communities as well as political leaders for the common good of the country and the large global community, said Amanya.
Eric Batuura, the Ntare School debate club patron, noted equipping the learners with knowledge on climate change lays a strong foundation for the future as they will pass it on to the next generation. Polluters are not necessarily the old people alone… So, if the youth understand the importance of conserving the environment early, they will be able to pass on the culture to their children, he said.
Karyn Mwesigire, from Mary Hill High School, said the students do not only stop at debating climate issues, they are walking the talk, too.
“We recognize climate change as an issue that requires everyone's efforts. So, as the debate club, we plant trees in the school compound and are also involved in smart agriculture initiatives that don’t endanger the environment.”
Ntare School’s Arnold Musiime said the debate has created a lot of excitement among students, inspiring many to get involved in conservation efforts. When they see discussing and winning climate debates, they get inspired to participate in conserving the school environment, said Musiime, who clinched the top male debater accolade. Sheenah Ainembabazi from Kigezi High School was the female best debater.
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