Aga Khan Mzizima Secondary School, Dar es Salaam shines in debate tournaments
Twenty-two students from the Aga Khan Mzizima Secondary School (AKMSS), Dar es Salaam participated in the Mwalimu Nyerere Schools Debate Championships from 15-16 October, in which they won 23 medals and five students got recognised as the ‘Best Speaker’.
The debate was organised by the Tanzania Competitive Rhetoric Organisation and attended by Grade 7-12 students from several other countries such as Kenya, Uganda and South Africa. The main aim of the competition is to help students develop self-confidence and critical thinking skills. The organisers also wanted to expose the students to issues of global importance and challenge them to think of sustainable solutions to these issues, with some of the debating examples on the agenda including peace and East African integration and regional cohesion.
“The competition was very interesting, and it allowed me to grow as a learner, a debater and a thinker,” said Diploma Programme (DP) 2 student Thamrah Dau. “Our team had to put in a lot of effort in the debating motions. With the help of our teacher, Ms Vinita Tomar, and the school, we received a lot of support and motivation that helped us win. This was truly a wonderful experience, and I am very grateful.”
As part of the Seniors category, the following students received medals:
· Nidhi Vijaykumar (Potential Speaker)
· Danielle Nyanza (Best Speaker, position 8)
· Simran Mitha (Best Speaker, position 7)
· Saeeda Seif (Best Speaker, position 6)
· Thamrah Dau (Best Speaker, position 3)
· Cleopetra Shayo, Daneille Nyanza and Avinav Mahapatra (quarter finals)
· Myra Chande, Saeeda Seif and Eric Matinyi (semi-finalists)
· Thamrah Dau, Simran Mitha and Ali Ladak (winners)
In the Juniors category, the following students achieved medals:
· Versha Trivedi (Potential Speaker)
· Shimmer Gupta (Potential Speaker)
· Aaliya Abdullatif (Potential Speaker)
· Melissa Nambaya (Potential Speaker)
· Delicia Nyanza (Best Speaker, position 4)
· Ayman Nyangu, Rafaela Alves, Delicia Nyanza and Fabiana Alves (winners)
Additionally, AKMSS, Dar es Salaam’s debate team participated in the Pan-African Schools Debating Championships Jozi SHO 2022 in Johannesburg, South Africa from 12-18 December. The team won 17 medals, with the Juniors team being awarded third in the tournament overall. In addition, DP2 student Thamrah Dau was ranked in the top five out of 40 speakers and deemed as the ‘Best Speaker’ in the dramatic interpretation category.
Congratulations to all the students who participated in these events!
Photos (top to bottom):
- AKMSS, Dar es Salaam's debate team
- A few members of the school's Junior team
- A few members of the school's Senior team
