2014 SAASTA National Schools Debates

SAASTA has successfully completed three consecutive years of hosting the SAASTA National Schools Debates Competition. In 2014, SAASTA appointed a new service provider, Word Wise Media, to implement the competition for the next three years. Word Wise Media had brought a new and fresh approach to the project with their new interesting debating style. The structure of the debating style is not based on proposition/opposition presentations, but it allows debaters to engage with one another and move toward a common resolution. Perhaps one of the most interesting features is the mini-imbizos were learners get to interact with one another and share ideas through break-away discussions and by using of social media.

Essay Topic

How will the huge scientific investment in the SKA affect our lives in South Africa? Discuss this in the context of the five perspectives of science communication.

SAASTA would like to congratulate the following schools for producing the best essays:

Province	Name of School	Percentage
Gauteng	Crawford College Pretoria	78
Free State	St Michael’s High School	75
Limpopo	Tshivase Secondary School	73
Eastern Cape	Indwe High School	72
Northern Cape	Kimberley Boys High School	72
Mpumalanga	Mashishing Secondary School	68
KwaZulu-Natal	Durban Girls High School	67
Western Cape	The Settlers High School	61

Provincial Topic and Resources

South Africa is facing the global growing challenge of providing clean, safe drinking water to its citizens. Nanotechnology, with support from the field of crystallography in identifying and characterising materials, is one of the technologies being explored to address this problem. Do you think investment in nanotechnology research will provide a feasible solution to our water challenges?

The Provincial Competitions were held in October 2014.  All teams debated fiercely for an opportunity to be crowned the provincial winners as well as the team that will be representing their respective provinces at the National Competition.

The provincial winners

Western Cape
Best speaker: The Settlers High, Viviek Abrahams
3rd Oude Molen Academy of Science and Technology
2nd Bergvliet High School
1st   The Settlers High School

Eastern Cape
Best speaker: Queens College Boys High, Lawrence Lwanga
3rd Holy Cross Education Centre
2nd Clarendon High School for Girls
1st Queens College Boys High

Gauteng
Best speaker: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, Vuyokazi Hlwatika
3rd Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls
2nd Randfontein High School
1st Crawford College Pretoria

KwaZulu-Natal
Best speaker: Durban Girls High, Sohela Surajpal
3rd Maritzburg College
2nd St Mary’s DSG, Kloof
1st Durban Girls High

Limpopo
Best speaker: Mbilwe Secondary School, Mushiana Mukundi
3rd Pepps College Polokwane
2nd Eagle’s Nest Christian School
1st Thengwe High School

Free State
Best speaker: St Michael’s, Tsego Fatso
3rd Edmund Rice School
2nd Eunice High School
1st St Michael’s School

Northern Cape
Best speaker: Kimberley Boys, Lebogang Moloto
2nd Kimberley Girls High School
1st Kimberley Boys High School

Mpumalanga
Best speaker: Sitintile SSS, Pearl Siboza
3rd Mashishing secondary School
2nd Sitinile Senior Secondary School
1st Suikerland Secondary School

Thank you to your spectacular educators for their support and encouragement through the competition. SAASTA commends you for the work you do beyond the classroom.

And finally, thank you to all the adjudicators who took time out of their busy schedules to participate in the Provincial Competitions. Without content specialists like you who are willing to give off their time, SAASTA events like these would not be possible.

National Topic 2014

Drug discovery is an important area of biotechnology. The field of crystallography also plays an important role in drug discovery, in identifying and understanding the mechanisms of potential new drugs.  In facing our current and future health challenges, do you think we should be investing in the discovery of new drugs and medicines, supported by fields such as biotechnology and crystallography?

The winners for 2014 SAASTA National Schools Debates Competition

1^st place – Queens College

2^nd place- Crawford College Pretoria

3^rd place –St Michaels School for Girls