'Partnerships are key in fighting climate change'

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📍 CENTRAL & KAMPALA METROPOLITAN REGIONS (JUNE 26-27)
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A burst of audible excitement and huge applause filled the anxious hall as soon as the much-awaited verdict was delivered: "The winner of this edition becomes Kako Senior Secondary School!"

By winner, lead adjudicator and founder of Uganda Dialogue Arena Fredrick Musiimenta was referrring to the Central region 2024 champions of the Green Schools Initiative's Climate Change Debate competition.

Kako, who finished in second place in the previous edition, were now the newly crowned regional champions.

Although the swelter of the Wednesday afternoon had started to cool, the degree of anticipation inside the hall at Kololo Senior Secondary School had remained high throughout the concluding formalities of what had been a fully engaging day of school debating.

Then once the speeches were over, the moment for the long-awaited announcement arrived.

It was between Kako Senior Secondary School and Seroma Christian High School, whose debaters had not long before faced off in a final debating duel divided on green central banking.

Eventually, team Kako, who opposed the motion of the House supporting green central banking, took the day.

It was a final that had, by his own admission, impressed chief guest Tony Achidria, the senior environment awareness officer at the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).

"Climate change is something we are experiencing and the fact that we can discuss and debate on matters related to climate change shows that we are aware," Achidria (pictured below) said before the delivery of the verdict.

In a bid to prioritize interactions with education institutions, NEMA has a division of environment education and advocacy.

"School debates are essential for raising awareness about environmental and climate change issues," said Achidria.

"They give students a chance to engage with complex topics, develop critical thinking, research skills and public speaking abilities.

"By discussing different viewpoints and solutions, debates help young people understand the urgency of environmental challenges.

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

'Planet's future caretakers'

According to Achidria, it is important for learners to be aware of environment issues because they are "the future caretakers of our planet".

"Learning about these issues early equips students with the knowledge and values needed to make responsible decisions that impact on the world. This kind of awareness supports sustainable behaviour and innovative solutions. This will ensure a healthier planet for future generations.

"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," said the NEMA officer.

Vision Group decided to implement the Green Schools Initiative in schools last year (2023) in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and with funding from the Embassy of Sweden in Uganda.

Such collaborations, Achidria said, demonstrate the power of partnerships in fighting climate change and environmental degradation. 

"Partnerships provide resources and expertise and support enhancing the effectiveness of educational programmes.

"Collaborative efforts between schools, communities, governments and other organizations amplify the impact of environmental degradation," he said.

Debate and innovative projects make up the two tracks of the Green Schools Initiative, which is in its second year of implementation.

In the last 10 days, the regional debates have been conducted across the country to select the three top schools from each region to take part in the national championship that will take place in the August school holiday.

The curtains will draw on the regional qualifiers today (Thursday) with the 10th and final region: Kampala Metropolitan. 

Kololo SSS, who hosted the penultimate regional competition (Central) on Wednesday, will also host this final contest.

Since the 2024 competition got under way on June 17, the top three debating schools, including a regional champion each, have been picked from the regions of Karamoja, West Nile, Teso, Northern, Bugisu/Bukedi, Busoga, Midwestern, Western and Central.

Today (Thursday), the final top three schools will join the 27 others that are already through in the upcoming nationals that will be held in Kampala.

In the Central region competition, the Seeta High School pair of Elizabeth Sasha Okuku and Jessy Mboizi were named the best female and best male debaters, respectively.

'Practice makes better'

Stella Amumpaire, a Senior Four student who was part of winning team Kako, spoke of her delight at emerging regional champions.

"It has been God that has enabled us to reach here," she said.

"Last year, we were here for the regionals and we ended as number two. This time around, we have emerged as number one. We believe that practice makes something better.

"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."

Amumpaire, who lives by a personal motto of 'It is okay not to be okay and it is also okay to be okay' also said: "Winning and losing is part of life and we can learn from mistakes."

📸  The first-runner up: Seroma Christian High School

📸 The second-runner up: Seeta High School

Here is final ranking of the Central region schools:

1. Kako Senior Secondary School (winner)
2. Seroma Christian High School (first runner-up)
3. Seeta High School (second runner-up)
4. Bugema Adventist Secondary School
5. Ekitangaala Transformation High School
6. Sacred Heart Najja Secondary School
7. Naalya Secondary School, Lugazi
8. Sserwanga Lwanga Memorial Secondary School
9. Bishop Dunstan Nsubuga Senior Secondary School
10. Shammah High School (did not show up)

'Building resilience key'

Meanwhile, Dr Emmanuel Zziwa, the team leader of FAO's climate change programme in Uganda, delivered greetings from Antonio Querido, the FAO Country Representative in Uganda.

In his comments, he pointed to the need for more efforts into adapting and building resilience against climate change.

He said the older generation has made the world very "unbearable" for the younger generation, which he rallied to "demand your rights" because "this world belongs to you".

Basing on Uganda's constitution, Zziwa said "we cannot have a better life without a better environment".

Referencing the heatwaves this year in parts of the world like Saudi Arabia, the FAO officer warned that such extreme climate-related phenomena can come knocking home any time.

He said initiatives such as the Green Schools project building momentum of young people "who are knowlegeable about climate change is supporting us".
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  THEY SAID IT 

💬  Sidney Miria, oversees special projects at New Vision and is the project co-ordinator of the Green Schools Initiaitive:

❝Climate change is the most urgent issue that we have as a country and as the world. Everyone of us has got a role to play. That is the reason as to why we thought it best, together with the funders — the Embassy of Sweden — and partner FAO to go out to schools.

We hope that the debates, one of the two tracks of the Green Schools Initiative, are not going to end here, that in our schools, you will continue to discuss matters related to climate change.

The second track is the project. There are some schools last year that did win. They emerged the best because of the innovative solutions they sought to implement in their schools.

So, after the debates today, don't go back and you say 'this is the end of this Green Schools Initiative'. We expect you to still carry out activities at your schools.

At the club level, what are you doing with your plastics? Are you just throwing them all over the place? What are you doing with your compound? Are you planting trees? What innovative solutions do you have in dealing with climate change?

We want you as students to come up with those ideas, which will in turn compete for the top prize.
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💬  Fredrick Musiimenta, lead adjudicator and founder of Uganda Dialogue Arena:

❝Debating is a passion, so please keep debating. Most of the schools that make it to the national level make debate part and parcel of their activities at school. Everyday, every weekend, they will debate.

And under the new curriculum, you have all it takes to engage Senior One, Two, Three and Four to be in debate and other co-curricula because at least they have the time.

Those who are in Senior Five and Six, when you are applying for courses to do at university, look at environment, artificial intelligence, software engineering, robotics.
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Qualified ✔

With the regional competition continuing — as well as concluding — today (Thurday), here is a roundup of the 27 schools that have progressed to the national championship as well as the best individual debaters in the nine 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 Ajunaa

 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

 CENTRAL 

📍 Host: Kololo Senior Secondary School

Top three:

▪️ Kako Senior Secondary School (champion)
▪️ Seroma Christian High School
▪️ Seeta High School

Best female debater: Elizabeth Sasha Okuku
Best male debater: Jessy Mboizi