2016 SAASTA National Schools Debates

Selection Phase

SAASTA invited all schools with a keen interest in debating – but in this instance from a scientific stance – to submit a speech in different formats i.e. essay, video clip and a voice note based on a given topic that was selected by SAASTA. Selected on the basis of their winning speeches, SAASTA chose the top 10 schools per province to compete in the provincial competition.

Provincial Workshops

SAASTA together with Word Wise Media organised a facilitator’s workshop to train the facilitators in becoming mentors for the schools in their respective provinces. After a successful facilitator’s workshop that was held in Cape Town on the 12 March 2016, the qualifying schools per province attended a provincial workshops in their respective provinces on the 16 April 2016. The objectives of the workshops were to train the learners on the debating style, research methodology and the use of social media to promote the project.

Provincial Competitions

Hydrogen and Fuel Cells were in the minds and on the lips of many school learners during the month of May, competing with one another in the hope of representing their provinces in the National finals. The top 10 schools per province debated on the potential and the importance of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology (HFCT).

Topic

Do you think HFCT can improve the quality of the life for all South Africans by contributing significantly to the national energy supply or is HFCT more applicable in industry specific local applications?

Provincial Winners

SAASTA would like to congratulate all the schools that made it through to the National SAASTA Schools Debates Final that will be held on 6 October 2016 in Gauteng.

Province	Winner	Runners Up	2nd Runners Up
Kwazulu Natal	Solvista Secondary School	Wingen Heights Secondary School	Verulam Secondary School
Free State	Hentie Cilliers High School	Bethlehem Voortrekker High School	Welkom High School
Limpopo	Dendron Secondary School	Taxila Secondary School	Thengwe Secondary School
Western Cape	Cravenby Secondary School	Bellville High School	Parklands College
Mpumalanga	Mashising Secondary School	Lowveld High School	Dlomodlomo Secondary School
North West	Potchefstroom Girls High	Lebone College II of the Royal Bafokeng	Zinniaville High School
Gauteng	Randfontein High School	Oprah Winfrey Academy for Girls	Mondeor High
Northern Cape	Kimberley Girls High School	Northern Cape High School	Kimberley Boys High
Eastern Cape	Queens Boys College	Hudson Park High School	Holy Cross High School

National Competition

The SAASTA National Debates Competition was hosted on the 6 October 2016 at St Georges Hotel in Pretoria. The room was filled with so much excitement and nervousness at the same time, as the nine (9) teams took to the stage presenting their arguments on the use of biotechnology in combating food security in South African households. Later in the evening the winners were announced at the award function that was organised by SAASTA to award and acknowledge all participants.