The Aga Khan High School, Kampala

Aga Khan High School Debate Team advances to Championships at Yale University

Students from the Aga Khan High School Kampala’s debate team will participate in the Tournament of Champions to be held at Yale University in the United States this November.

Written by: Farzana Mussa

Kampala, Uganda – Students from the Aga Khan High School Kampala’s debate team will participate in the Tournament of Champions to be held at Yale University in the United States this November. The 10 students, aged 11-17 years, triumphed at the World Scholars Cup held in Bangkok, Thailand this past June. They were selected from the participant group comprised of 3200 students from over 50 countries.

“I’m extremely excited to be going to Yale” said Devesh Datta, a senior Aga Khan student participant.

The Aga Khan High School Kampala debate team achieved a standing of 1st in Uganda, 5th in Africa and 8th in the world. The students debated on a combination of topics ranging across the social sciences, politics, and the arts. Some particular debate topics were the effective management of failed states, whether individuals with a life sentence should be able to choose the death penalty, and if junk food should be abolished.

The World Scholars Cup (WSC) is an annual event that brings together international students for a celebration of learning. To further this learning experience, WSC has a partnership with the Yale International Relations Association that offers high-achieving teams to visit Yale University. This year, the Aga Khan High School Kampala debate team will have the opportunity to interact with and learn directly from Yale students and faculty. An Aga Khan teacher, Ms. Kabaami, has also been selected as a judge for the Yale tournament.

The Aga Khan High School, Kampala was established in 1959 and has a long tradition of leadership in educational development. The school serves approximately 550 students from over 30 nationalities and offers both national and international curricula, including the Cambridge IGCSE and International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB). The Aga Khan High School, Kampala is managed by the Aga Khan Education Services, Kampala; an institution of the Aga Khan Development Network.