As part of activities to mark the Ghana @60 celebrations, the Ghana Education Service has organized its 20th inter-Senior High School debate competition on the theme ‘Mobilisation for Ghana’s Future: The youth are key stakeholders in National Development'.

The competition which started with over 700 participating Senior High Schools, saw only Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology SHS and Pope John SHS qualifying for the grand finale.

The two schools represent the Northern and Southern zones respectively.

The debate which took place at the GNAT Hall in Accra had Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology SHS against the motion, arguing that the youth cannot be key in national development.

But Pope John SHS was for the motion and argued that the youth were the future leaders and key stakeholders that Ghana needed for sustainable development and nation building process.

Each of the participating school were strong in arguing their points out in order to convince the judges and their colleague students so they think along with them.

The initial loud applauses in the hall and excited faces each time a student made a remarkable point went dead silence when the bell was rung for the announcement of the winner at the end of the debate as students and their teachers were eager to know the winner.

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology SHS was proclaimed by a member of the National Media Commission, Dr. Doris Yaa Dartey as the winner of the grand finale. They were able to persuade the Judges of the debate that the youth could not be key stakeholders in national development.

The winner took home laptops, an amount of GHC1,500 and a 42-inch TV for their school while Pope John SHS who emerged the second were given laptops and a 42-inch TV for their school.

The Minister for Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, who gave an address at the event, encouraged the students to make use of opportunities so as to help contribute to policies that would ensure smooth governance of the country.

He also advised the students to use the competition and other school activities to learn and be able to express themselves well in the English language since the competition will help boost their self-confidence and also help them to become creative and critical thinkers.