School kids debate violence

The solutions to school violence could come from our children in debate, said the organisers of the RBTT Young Leaders 2004 Debate at its launch yesterday at the Roytec Building, Henry Street, Port-of-Spain.

Now in its second year, the competition will involve pupils in forms three and four from 44 schools. They will debate whether education or leadership is the key to peaceful coexistence. Pupils and teachers attended the launch from schools as far-flung as Cedros Composite School and St Joseph’s Convent, Tobago. Bishop Anstey High School East principal, Barbara Davis, told pupils that all eyes were on schools because of recent violence. She said: “After these debates have taken place I am certain you will have the solutions to the problems of violence in Trinidad and Tobago.”

Despite many talk-shows in Trinidad, she noted, few youth voices were heard. “We welcome the opportunity to hear your voice at this critical time in our society. This project lets you speak out, so let your voice be heard.” What pupils said in this great debate, said Davis, would hugely affect our schools and our society. “You have the opportunity to make profound statements to the society.” She noted we all had a dream for a peaceful society which had not yet been fulfilled. “All of us must tell ourselves that we have to reclaim our country.” Pupils would play such a valuable role as they stood at the debating podium that maybe their contributions should be taken to our sometimes shameful Parliament, she added. Davis concluded: “With this launch we may be sowing the seeds to end the violence in our schools.”

RBTT communications director, Helen Drayton, also noted the debate’s emphasis on peace. “The theme is whether critical leadership and universal education equals a culture of peace.” She said a debate needed both cooperation between partners and an absence of animosity between opponents whom she prefered to call “counter-parts.” “Healthy team spirit is necessary to accomplish tasks, particularly in the debates because you must be able to support your partner in the research stage and work together while defending your motion and challenging your counterparts.” Recalling the high standard of last year’s debate, Drayton warned that any school just rushing into debate might be “out-strategised, out-manouvered, and not prepared.” She said debate topics had been chosen to be so wide so as to avoid different schools repeating the same points.