‘President’s Schools Debate exposes students to democratic values’

The Chairman, President’s Schools Debate Nigeria (PSDN), Usman Mohammed, has disclosed that their activities are exposing Nigerian students in government primary and secondary schools to the culture of reading as well as advance democratic values at an early age.

Usman, who was represented by the PSDN National Coordinator, Elder Dare Oritu, said the national debate also promotes harmony and inter-regional unity amongst the students.

Speaking at a briefing in Abuja at the weekend, Mohammed announced that the 24th edition of democracy debate, which is to mark President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s one year in office, will be held in July this year with all public primary and secondary schools in the country participating from the local government level.

While urging Nigerian students to imbibe the culture of reading and exploring the hidden treasures that lie in books, he said they use the programme to develop students’ practical skills and assist in improving their communication ability in the English Language.

“The President’s Schools Debate Nigeria (PSDN) was approved in 2001 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo as a platform for organising school debate in Nigeria and subsequent Presidents of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, thereafter, endorsed the programme in accordance with the 2001 approval and thus sustained it till date.

“The programme has been organised on an annual basis since then. It is thus our desire to employ the tenets of the programme to further the Renewed Hope agenda of the present government, especially in the field of education, culture and effective national patriotism.”

According to him, the body has featured Nigerian student debaters at the World Schools Debating Championships-WSDC in Doha, Qatar (2010); WSDC in Dundee, Scotland (2011); the Asian Schools Debate in Seoul, South Korea (2011); WSDC in Cape Town, South Africa (2012); and the Turkey edition in January 2013; the WSDC in Thailand in August 2014; Singapore WSDC in 2015; WSDC 2017 Bali in Indonesia and WSDC 2019 Bangkok in Thailand.