Online Reporter
Langalakhe Mabena, Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
IN a major step towards nurturing critical thinking and public speaking among learners, the Royal Pact Debate Academy (RPDA) has launched the Zimbabwe Schools Debate League, which is set to commence in January 2026.
The national league seeks to mainstream debating as a recognised sport in schools while promoting intellectual engagement, confidence and leadership skills among secondary and high school learners across Zimbabwe.
According to Maison Maphosa, the national debate team coach, the initiative will play a pivotal role in developing learners’ debating and public speaking abilities, enabling them to compete effectively on global platforms.
“Debate in the country has mostly thrived in elite schools that recognised its value as a sport. With this league, we aim to give all children, regardless of background, access to quality debating opportunities,” said Maphosa.
He said the league will provide learners with challenging competitions, quality learning resources and structured development programmes designed to sharpen their reasoning, teamwork and communication skills.
“This league will ensure students from all corners of Zimbabwe have access to debating that encourages critical thinking, fosters engagement with global issues and equips them with lifelong confidence to pursue their potential,” added Maphosa.
The inaugural edition will feature 32 schools from across the country, each represented by a team of five learners. Teams will be placed into eight groups (A–H) based on power rankings calculated from their past performance in national and regional tournaments.
To reduce travel costs, the preliminary rounds will be conducted online via Zoom, while the knockout stages, from the Octo-finals to the Grand Final, will be held in Harare and broadcast live on social media platforms.
For fairness and quality, judges will be sourced from across Africa and will undergo training before the league begins.
Maphosa said the league will also serve as a talent identification platform for the national debate team, which represents Zimbabwe in prestigious tournaments such as the African Schools Debate Championships (ASDC) and the World Schools Debating Championships (WSDC).
Zimbabwe’s debate team has enjoyed significant success in recent years, winning the ASDC in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and earning global recognition at the WSDC.
Maphosa expressed optimism that the new league will revive the country’s debating glory and produce the next generation of articulate, critical-minded leaders.
