Climate change: Busoga, Western debating schools advance to nationals

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📍 BUSOGA & WESTERN REGIONS (JUNE 24)
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And then there were 24!

That is, the cumulative number of schools that are through to the national championship of the 2024 Green Schools Initiative Climate Change Debate.

This was after six more schools from the regions of Busoga and Western made the cut on Monday.

After a series of spirited debating battles throughout a jam-packed day at Jinja College in Jinja city and Kibubura Girls' Secondary School in Ibanda district, debutants Holy Cross Lake View SS and Ntare School reigned supreme as regional champions in Busoga and Western, respectively.

The second and third-place finishers, Iganga Secondary School and Busoga College Mwiri (Busoga) and Maryhill High School and Kigezi High School (Western), completed the cast of six that will take part in the nationals that will be held during the second term school holidays.

Busoga region: Holy Cross Lake View SS won it

Busoga region: Iganga Secondary School came second

Busoga region: Busoga College Mwiri took third place

The conclusion of these regional qualifiers later this week will see the final six schools complete the required total of 30 in the August nationals.

These will be drawn from the Central and Kampala Metropolitan regional contests on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

'Big statement to the world'

So far, the eight regions covered since this season's regional qualifiers started last Monday (June 17)  have each produced three schools for the national championship, including a regional champion.

But importantly, beyond the competition, this is seen as a noble cause.

"Much as we are here for competitions, there is a lot of message in what we are doing today not only for us but also for the future generation," said Jinja College headteacher Michael Dhikusooka while opening the Busoga qualifiers hosted by his school.

For the young debaters that have taken part in the contests, walking the talk is far more important than the competitive aspect of it all.

"It is the only way we shall save the future of this planet. We only have one planet and before we came into being, there were people who protected the planet," said Dhikusooka.

"A lot was done by people who stayed before us. You could be what you are because of your great grandparents but then ask yourselves, what are you going to do for the people who are coming after you or for your great grandchildren?

"Thank you [Green Schools Initiative] project manager for this initiative. Whatever little that we are doing to save Planet Earth cannot go unappreciated."

The Jinja College head said emissions, gases, pollution and swamp reclamation are "a cancer to us as human beings".

"For us to come up with this kind of debate, in our small way, I think we are making a big statement to the world that we need to protect the planet and we need to look for other means of saving the environment," said Dhikusooka.

'A cancer to humans'


The green in and around Jinja College is a testament that they are taking the environment seriously.

Additionally, the Catholic-founded school located on Lubaga Hill in Jinja city is banning polythene bags on its premises. "When parents visit us, we always encourage them to use paper bags," said the headteacher.

One climate change project the school is implementing involves Senior One and Two students turning plastic bottles into useable products.

Jinja College is also in the final stages of building a biogas plant from which it will produce light and gas for energy. The gas generated will also be used in the school's labs.

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Qualified ✔

With the regional competition nearing its conclusion, here is a roundup of the 24 schools that have progressed to the national championship as well as the best individual debaters in the eight (out of 10) regions already covered:

 KARAMOJA 

📍 Host: Moroto High School

Top three:

▪️ Lolachat Seed Secondary School (champion)
▪️ Abim Secondary School
▪️ Napak Secondary School

Best female debater: Patience Namujju Kakayi (Lolachat SSS)
Best male debater: Evaristo Ogwang (Abim SS)

Related story 👉🏽 Climate change regional debates under way

 WEST NILE 

📍 Host: Mvara Secondary School

Top three:

▪️ Arua Public Secondary School (champion)
▪️ Mvara Secondary School
▪️ Bishop Angelo Talantino Ediofe

Best female debater: Fortunate Habibu Hidaya
Best male debater: Rout Banang Char

Related story 👉🏽 Aura Public are West Nile debate champs

 TESO 

📍 Host: Teso College Aloet

Top three:

▪️ Soroti Secondary School (champion)
▪️ Teso College Aloet
▪️ St Elizabeth Girls Secondary

Best female debater: Doreen Anuo (Soroti SS)
Best male debater: Collins Engoru (Soroti SS)

Related story 👉🏽 'Debates in schools should be continuous'

 NORTHERN 

📍 Host: Lira Town College

Top three:

▪️ Comboni College (champion)
▪️ Lango College
▪️ Y.Y Okot Memorial Secondary School

Best female debater: Among Genevieve (Y.Y Okot Memorial SS)
Best male debater: Nathaniel Odong (Lango College)

Related story 👉🏽 School debates 'inspire future generations'

 BUGISU/BUKEDI 

📍 Host: Mbale Secondary School

Top three:

▪️ Nabumali High School (champion)
▪️ Tororo Girls' School
▪️ Sebei College Tegeres

Best female debater: Philomina Akiteng (Tororo GS)
Best male debater: Jabeth Chemutai (Sebei College)

 MIDWESTERN 

📍 Host: Kyebambe Girls' Secondary School

Top three:

▪️ Nyakasura School (champion)
▪️ St Leo's College Kyegobe
▪️ Kabalega Secondary School

Best female debater: Harmony Gift Kemigisa
Best male debater: Allan Ajuna

 BUSOGA 

📍 Host: Jinja College

Top three:

▪️ Holy Cross Lake View SS (champion)
▪️ Iganga Secondary School
▪️ Busoga College Mwiri

Best female debater: Mercy Gukunda (Iganga Secondary School)
Best male debater: Mesach Cherop (Busoga College Mwiri)

Related story 👉🏽 Climate change debate shifts focus to Busoga, Western

 WESTERN 

📍 Host: Kibubura Girls' Secondary School

Top three:

▪️ Ntare School (champion)
▪️ Maryhill High School
▪️ Kigezi High School

Best female debater: Sheenah Ainembabazi
Best male debater: Arnold Musiime
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Debate is one of the two tracks of the Green Schools Initiative, which was launched in 2023 to sensitize the public on climate change mitigation and adaptation using the school system as the point of entry.

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-Uganda).

Want to take part? Apply

This year, each of the 10 regions is represented by 10 schools, which had to apply to be considered.

There is an application process because, according to Green Schools Initiative project coordinator Sidney Miria, "we want people to be able to own this project" and "we don't want to impose it on them".

"I want to encourage people to read the newspaper everyday because when there is a call for expression of interest, the adverts are in the newspaper, radio and online," he said.

Usually, the calls go out in November, December or January, depending on the period the competition is to start.

"Anybody can apply - whether you are a teacher, headteacher, deputy headteacher. Even if you are an old student of the school and you feel that you want your school to participate, you can apply on their behalf and then inform them," explained Miria.

"The application process is very simple.

"You only have to state what you have been doing in regard to environmental protection or if you are within the project, what you plan to do.

"You propose some innovative solutions to some of the problems that we are facing in regard to climate change. It could be an adaptation measure or a mitigation measure.

"There is a selection team that will look at the application and see if it [your project] is something that is viable and can be implemented. If you impress that committee, then you end up being selected."