The third day of the Luv FM Kel-Charcoal Toothpaste High School Debate lived up to expectations, producing two engaging and competitive contests as St. Hubert Seminary and Osei Adutwum Senior High School secured impressive victories to book their places in the 1/16 round of the competition.

Wednesday's contest at the Christian Service University featured strong performances from all four participating schools, with debaters demonstrating confidence, research, critical thinking and persuasive speaking skills.

For Anglican Senior High School and Tepa SHS, however, the day's contests marked the end of their journey in this year's competition.

The first contest of the day brought together St. Hubert Seminary (SAHUSS) and Anglican Senior High School, Kumasi, in what turned out to be a nail-biting clash.

The two schools were tasked with debating the constructive motion: “Community service judgment will serve a purpose than custodial sentence.”

St. Hubert Seminary argued in support of the motion, while Anglican Senior High School took the opposing side. From the opening presentations, both teams demonstrated a clear understanding of the subject and sought to convince the judges with carefully constructed arguments.

St. Hubert Seminary placed strong emphasis on the restorative nature of community service, arguing that it can allow offenders to contribute positively to society while also serving as a form of punishment.

The school presented community service as an alternative that could help rehabilitate offenders rather than relying solely on custodial sentences.

Anglican Senior High School, on the other hand, mounted a strong challenge to the proposition, presenting counter-arguments aimed at defending the relevance and effectiveness of custodial sentences.

As the contest progressed, the exchanges became increasingly intense, with both sides using their rebuttals to challenge weaknesses in their opponents' arguments.

One of the standout moments came from the supporting speaker for St. Hubert Seminary, who delivered a particularly convincing argument and helped strengthen the school's case before the judges.

After the final rebuttals, St. Hubert Seminary emerged victorious by a majority decision, recording 237 points against Anglican SHS's 225 points.
The result sent St. Hubert Seminary through to the next stage while bringing Anglican SHS's campaign to an end.

The victorious debaters were visibly delighted with the result and expressed confidence in their performance.

Their comments suggested that they had entered the contest with belief in their preparation and ability to progress.

The second contest of the day featured Tepa SHS and Osei Adutwum SHS, with both schools battling not only for victory but also for a place in the next round of the competition.

The motion for the contest was: “Democracy has outlived its usefulness.” Tepa SHS argued for the motion, while Osei Adutwum SHS argued against it.

The debate generated strong arguments from both sides, as the schools explored the relevance of democracy and its place in modern society.

Tepa SHS sought to convince the judges that democracy had lost some of its usefulness, presenting arguments to support the motion.

Osei Adutwum SHS, however, challenged the proposition and defended the continued relevance of democratic governance.

As the contest unfolded, Osei Adutwum SHS gradually established greater control over the debate. Its speakers delivered arguments and rebuttals that resonated strongly with the judges, ultimately giving the school a commanding advantage.

At the end of the contest, Osei Adutwum SHS secured a unanimous decision, defeating Tepa SHS by 234 points to 191.

The convincing victory sparked excitement among the school's supporters, who celebrated as their team secured qualification to the 1/16 round.

Students from Adutwum SHS captured the mood after the contest, saying: “It’s a great feeling. We prepared and we have conquered.”

The result means Osei Adutwum SHS moves forward in the competition with renewed confidence, while Tepa SHS exits after a determined campaign.

The remaining schools will now look to build on their performances as they battle for places in the subsequent rounds and ultimately for the title of champions of the 8th edition of the LUV FM Kel-Charcoal Toothpaste High School Debate.

More exciting contests are expected in the coming days as the participating schools continue their quest for debate supremacy.

The 8th edition of the LUV FM Kel-Charcoal Toothpaste High School Debate is sponsored by Kelcharcoal Toothpaste, Didi Shito, Bigoo, The Seed Travelz, Serpo Mystical Pen, Verna Mineral Water, Jackson University College, Tamak, St. Ben Jewelry, Otuasekan Community Bank, and New Generation Investment Services