The Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Jamiu Alli-Balogun, has commended the maiden Lagos Schools DebateChamps Competition for showcasing students’ knowledge, critical thinking, and communication skills.
At the grand finale of the three-day event, Alli-Balogun said the competition broadened students’ exposure and encouraged intellectual engagement. He added that it fostered healthy competition and strengthened students’ leadership potential.
Students from 19 junior and senior secondary schools across the six education districts of Lagos State participated in the competition, organised by DebateChamps and the Harvard Debate Council (USA).
The event was convened by Miss Bukunmi Babatunde and Miss Halimat Usman.
Alli-Balogun praised the participants for their exceptional talent, confidence, and analytical abilities. He noted that the competition reflected years of nurturing, mentorship, and academic excellence in schools.
“The competition has enriched your academic journey, strengthened your confidence, sharpened your communication skills and prepared you for leadership. Keep participating, keep speaking; the future belongs to you,” he said.
Mr. Wale Olaoye, chaperone to Lagos State Model Senior College, Meiran, described the competition as innovative, noting that its impromptu format sharpened students’ creativity and quick-thinking abilities.
“The shift from prepared topics to impromptu debates challenged students to think quickly, build spontaneous arguments, and develop skills essential for global competitiveness,” Olaoye said.
He, however, called for greater transparency by publishing scoring criteria and rubrics, and advocated stricter enforcement against prohibited materials to sustain fairness and integrity.
Earlier, Miss Babatunde said the co-conveners were impressed by how quickly participants adapted to the new debate format. She described the students’ overall performance as remarkable.
“It is evident that there is indeed great potential here,” she said.
According to her, students were given debate topics 30 minutes before the preliminary and elimination rounds.
“The ability of the students to deliver exceptional speeches on topics they received just 30 minutes earlier demonstrates independent thinking and strong problem-solving skills,” Babatunde added.
In the senior category, Wellspring College, Omole, emerged as winner, while Maryland Comprehensive Secondary School, Ikeja, finished as first runner-up.
In the junior category, British International School, Victoria Island, won, with Grace High School, Gbagada, as first runner-up.
The panel of judges recognised 20 outstanding speakers — 10 each from the senior and junior categories — who were awarded medals and cash prizes.
