Atuitui p/s in Kumi district wins 2023 school debate competitions

Pupils from Atuitui primary school in Kumi district in eastern Uganda emerged as the winners of the 2023 school debate competitions organized by the Kumi district local government in collaboration with Action Aid Uganda and Youth Go Green.

This year’s debate saw pupils from over ten schools exchange augments about Climate change-related topics.

Pupils participated in a two days debate competition and challenged many Ugandan adults and local leaders as they expressed commitment to taking a front position when it comes to environmental conservation activities.

According to the organizers, the debate was among the activities of the Climate Change sensitization campaign.

The majority of participants blamed the ignorance of their parents as one of the critical factors which have led to increased deforestation and swamp reclamation among other human activities against the environment in Kumi district.

‘’I commit to plant at least ten trees annually on my birthday." Grace Akello a pupil from Kapasak Primary School’’.  Said

"Having learned a lot from the engagement, I will teach my parents the benefits of planting trees and ask them to give me a portion of land where I can grow some trees’’. She added

The Children also committed to passing on the knowledge obtained to their colleagues at school and in communities to ensure that they protect trees and green vegetation.

While officiating at the debate competition, Nseko Anthony, the Deputy Resident City Commissioner (RCC) for Kumi noted that involving children in environmental conservation is an effective way of conserving the environment since the young ones are still active and can instill the same knowledge to generations.

He called upon other Pro-environment organizations to come on board to ensure such a campaign reaches each school nationwide.  

In her remarks, Akol Janet Headteacher of Adesso Primary School in Kumi Municipality commended Action Aid and partners for providing them with 2000 tree seedlings she says that each child in the school will be given an opportunity to look after a tree until it matures.

"These tree seedlings have come in the right season, we are going to plant them as soon as possible. Once they have grown, these trees will provide us with shelter, especially at the school football pitch, act as a learning aid and contribute to climate change around the school and give the high population here enough oxygen."  She said 

"Kumi is one of the districts which have been affected by Climate change and the president on several occasions has been calling upon the members of the general public to conservation and environment restoration. We are ready to support Action Aid International Uganda and Youth Go Green in all their environmental conservation programs in Kumi." She added.

On his part, Andrew Onapito Communications officer of Action Aid International Uganda emphasized that schools have been a starting point in the sensitization and tree planting campaign but they will soon include other stakeholders in the future.

" In Adesso Primary School we planted trees and donated  2000 seedlings, at  Kapasak Primary School we donated  2000 seedlings, 300 seedlings were given to district headquarters and 2000 tree seedlings were given to a  model farmer who will act as a change agent and our target is to plant a  million trees in the Teso region," Onapito said.

Mugoda Rogers, Youth Go Green Regional Manager for Eastern Uganda revealed that they decided to partner with Action Aid in this initiative after discovering that the Teso region has been dramatically affected by Environmental degradation.

"We started with schools because we can meet many young people in one area and sensitize them on mitigation factors. We are aiming at creating a new generation that appreciates nature." 

According to Belinda Amanya, the national deputy chief adjudicator for Uganda National Students Association’s debate competition 2023 who was the chief adjudicator noted that the Debating style was 'World Schools Styles of Debate'.

‘’This format is a global style of debate that paves the way for better presentations by debaters with minimal but well-structured interventions that enhance critical thinking and effectiveness of the debate’’. She said.

Pupils expressed their knowledge and love towards environmental protection and the means they will use in preaching this gospel to their communities.

The overall winner of the competition  Atuitui Primary School walked away with a Prize for a modern Institutional stove (Energy saving) from the organizers.

The motions for the debate were;

This house will leave decisions concerning the environment to be made by young people. 

This house will make Saturday a mandatory day for cleaning the environment in Uganda. 

This house should pay pupils who plant their own trees. 

This house as a young people’s parliament resolves, 'National Environmental Management Authority has failed.