Students from Zimuto High School in Masvingo province will this year represent the country at the Pan-African Universities Debating Championship (PAUDC) to be held in Lome, Togo, in December.

PAUDC is the biggest intercollegiate debate championship in Africa, established in 2008 by the University of Botswana Debate Masters Association.

It is held in the British Parliamentary debate format, thus involving four teams of two people in each debate.

Four students from the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe-run institution — Verspace Makadho, Solace Zunza, Nicole Jirivengwa and Theophelas Beans — will take part in the debate, which among other things seeks to provide a forum in which African students can be exposed to new ideas, discuss a range of topical issues, and be challenged to think critically.

The quartet shrugged off the challenge of 94 other schools at the national public speaking and debating competitions held at Amai Mugabe High School in Mazowe early this year.

The public speaking and debating competition, which was running under the theme Promoting Pedagogy of Interiority was hosted by the Sustainable Environmental Conservation Trust Africa (SECTA), an organisation which is into environmental education in schools, universities, colleges and communities.

“We registered two teams and each team had two speakers,” said one of the Zimuto High School debate patrons Paidamoyo Majaya.

“We came out second from 96 participating teams and we will proceed to represent Zimbabwe under SECTA British parliamentary debating in Togo at the Lomé University from December 2 to 11.

“We feel motivated to be representing Zimbabwe in Lome and it’s the best thing to watch these learners speak their minds on various contemporary issues affecting the nation and globe at large. Not to mention how they are going to be actively engaged in solving these issues which include drug abuse.”

Majaya said the school was grateful for the efforts being made by the learners beyond the school premises, more so beyond the Zimbabwean borders.

Majaya and debate co-patron from the school Femiya Tavaziva will accompany the four students to Togo, on a trip that is being funded by the school.

Last year Zimuto High School failed to travel to Tanzania for the same competition due to financial constraints.