Schools ready for climate change debate

Jul 03, 2024

Coming into the final leg of the regional qualifiers hosted at Kololo Senior Secondary School in Kampala, 27 other schools had already sealed their places in the upcoming national competition that will take place during the second term school holiday.

Achidria (right) handing over a certifi cate to central region winners Kako Senior Secondary School

Joseph Kizza
Senior Producer - Digital Content @New Vision

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The 30 schools that will compete at this year’s Green Schools Climate Change National Debate Championship in August are now known
following the conclusion of the regional qualifiers on Thursday.

Kampala Metropolitan wrapped up the regional qualification phase of this competition, with last year’s silver medallist Mengo Senior School emerging as the regional champion.

Mengo qualified for the big one alongside ‘regionmates’ Nabisunsa Girls School and Kitante Hill School.

Coming into the final leg of the regional qualifiers hosted at Kololo Senior Secondary School in Kampala, 27 other schools had already sealed their places in the upcoming national competition that will take place during the second term school holiday.

 Adam Kahsai-Rudebeck giving his remarks

Adam Kahsai-Rudebeck giving his remarks



Adam Kahsai-Rudebeck, the Deputy Head of Mission and Head of Co-operation at the Embassy of Sweden in Uganda briefly attended the Kampala Metropolitan debate Regional qualifiers. This year, a new national champion will be crowned.

Sacred Heart Secondary School Mushanga, who won the inaugural championship last year, did not take part this time around.

For now, the qualified teams will get down to polishing up their tact in the buildup to the August championship. And while at it, the experience, guidance, and lessons they have drawn from the regional debates will come in handy.

The debate

Debate is one of the tracks of the Green Schools Initiative, which is in its second year of implementation by Vision Group in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and with funding from the Embassy of Sweden in Uganda.

An adjudicator takes notes during a debate session for central regional qualifi ers at Kololo SS on Wednesday

An adjudicator takes notes during a debate session for central regional qualifi ers at Kololo SS on Wednesday



The initiative was launched to sensitise the public on climate change mitigation and adaptation, with schools used as the point of entry.

The project’s second track focuses on innovative solutions aimed at mitigating or adapting to climate change.

Karamoja, West Nile

Having kicked off in Karamoja and West Nile regions nearly two weeks ago, the regional debate qualifiers featured some first-time participants while other schools were returning.

In Karamoja, Lolachat Seed SS emerged as the regional champion, with Abim SS and Napak SS also cutting the national championship.

NEMA’s Elizabeth Akurut awards central region’s best female

NEMA’s Elizabeth Akurut awards central region’s best female



Arua Public SS was the champion of West Nile and qualified along with Mvara SS and Bishop Angelo Talantino Ediofe.

Northern Region

In the northern region, Comboni College reigned supreme over its challengers in a competition that saw Lango College and Y.Y Okot Memorial SS also advance.

Soroti SS became the Teso region champion and progressed to the nationals, together with Teso College Aloet and St Elizabeth Girls SS.

A participant registers upon arrival at Kololo SSS

A participant registers upon arrival at Kololo SSS



In Bugisu/Bukedi, Nabumali High School emerged as the champion, with Tororo Girls’ School and Sebei College Tegeres finishing second and third, respectively.

Newcomers, Holy Cross Lake View SS went all the way and became champions of the Busoga region as Iganga SS and Busoga College Mwiri also qualified.

Ntare School defended its western region title as Maryhill High School and Kigezi High School made it through as well.

The midwestern competition saw Nyakasura School become champion and qualify alongside St Leo’s College and Kabalega SS.

 Debater Leon Okecho explaining his views

Debater Leon Okecho explaining his views



In the central region, Kako SSS battled for the regional title and was joined in the national championship by Seroma Christian High School and Seeta High School.

Kampala Metropolitan produced the final three advancing teams in the form of Mengo SS, Nabisunsa Girls School, and Kitante Hill School.

Competitive

“It has been competitive,” said Sidney Miria, the Green Schools Initiative project coordinator. “Compared to last year, we have seen improvement in the level and quality of debate as well as interest from the learners.

Climate change is the most urgent issue that we have as a country and as the world. Every one of us has got a role to play,” added Miria, who also oversees special projects at New Vision.

Inspiring students

Throughout the regional phase, officials, including government representatives, hailed the Green Schools Initiative for being on the right track.

“School debates are essential for raising awareness about environmental and climate change issues,” said Tony Achidria, the senior environment awareness officer at the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), during the penultimate leg of the competition on Wednesday at Kololo SSS.

 A debater gives her remarks

A debater gives her remarks



“By discussing different viewpoints and solutions, debates help young people understand the urgency of environmental challenges,” he added.

“This not only increases their knowledge but also inspires them to support sustainable practices and policies and this is crucial for addressing climate change,” Achidria said.

“By teaching environmental consciousness at a young age, we empower the next generation to lead and make meaningful changes in the fight against climate change.” Dr Emmanuel Zziwa, the team leader of FAO’s climate change programme in Uganda, said initiatives, such as the Green Schools project, build the momentum of young people who are knowledgeable about climate change.

Speaking on the final day of the regional competition at Kololo SSS on Thursday, he pointed to the need for more efforts in adapting and building resilience against climate change.

Zziwa said the older generation has made the world “unbearable” for the younger generation that he rallied to “demand your rights” because “this world belongs to you”.

“We cannot have a better life without a better environment,” he added.

 Nabisunsa Girls debtors during Kampala metropolitan region qualifi ers on Thursday

Nabisunsa Girls debtors during Kampala metropolitan region qualifi ers on Thursday



Adam Kahsai-Rudebeck, the deputy head of mission and head of cooperation at the Embassy of Sweden in Uganda, has been impressed by the young debaters.

“During the previous year, the Green Schools Initiative created a lot of interest even beyond learners, teachers, schools, and parents. And it has encouraged many other partners to start similar actions promoted by this initiative,” he said on Thursday.

“And this aligns with the goal of this initiative, which is to uplift the issues of sustainable environmental management and climate change into public discourse so that green actions can be generated and implemented individually and collectively.”

Kahsai-Rudebeck also spoke of the increasing interest in participation from schools as well as the “astonishing” level of competition in regional and national debating.

This year’s edition has been themed around innovations that work in addressing environmental and climate-related challenges.

Kahsai-Rudebeck said it has been “overwhelmingly encouraging” to see this innovative approach and actions aimed at addressing such challenges as plastics pollution, energy access, and efficiency, as well as access to water, creating green spaces in schools and community outreaches.

“So far, this initiative has highlighted the enormous potential that Ugandan learners and the school community have in addressing climate change and sustainable environmental management in Uganda. “Students show that our individual and collective actions can create an impact,” he said.

 An adjudicator stresses a point

An adjudicator stresses a point



“To the debaters, as future leaders, this initiative allows you to access and share information that will help you in making lifestyle decisions as well as making and implementing important environment and climate policies. And most importantly, investing in future green actions.”

‘No losers’

Green Schools project manager John Eremu has repeatedly underlined throughout the qualifiers that despite the debate results, every participating school is a winner for being a part of a noble cause.

“Although we can only select three top teams for the nationals, you all are winners.” It is this same winning spirit — as well as learning from mistakes — that Stella Amumpaire, a Senior Four student of Kako SSS, inspired her school to return this year and become central region champions.

“It has been God that has enabled us to reach here. We believe that practice makes something better,” she said.

“In the first edition (last year), we felt intimidated by the big schools, but later, we got to figure out that it’s our content that will enable us to make it. “Winning and losing is part of life and we can learn from mistakes.”

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