The Minister of State for Education, Hon. Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu has called on the leadership of President’s School Debate Nigeria to widen the scope of their activities to cover debating on topical issues like Security, Unity, climate change, promoting entrepreneurship amongst others.
He made the remarks during a courtesy call by the leadership of President’s School Debate Nigeria to Federal Ministry of Education Abuja.
While commending the Body for salient achievements recorded by the Leaders of the organisation in promoting schools debate in the Country; he highlighted the importance of the debate to students by building confidence, help encourage parents to think together with their children, developing critical thinking of an average child in Nigeria, promoting the unity of the Nation because the country is becoming too polarized along ethnics and regional interests.
Sununu also harped on the need to involve both public and private schools in the President’s Schools Debate Nigeria, as he drums readiness of the Ministry’s support to the body in terms of funding and inclusion of their activities and programmes in the Ministry’s budgetary provisions in the subsequent years.
In his words; “I want to commend the Leadership of President’s School Debate Nigeria on their track record so far.
“The initiative of bringing our children together for debate has a positive impact on our society today.
“It builds confidence in our children, promote critical thinking of an average child in Africa, unite the country because the country is becoming too polarized.
“There is a need to involve other sectors both Public and Private schools in the Country to debate on topical issues like Security, Unity of purpose of our children, both local and international, help parents to think together with their children among others,” he stressed.
Earlier, the Director of Basic Education, Dr. Mrs. Olutunji David F. updated the Honourable Minister on the involement of the Ministry on the School Debate.
The Director Senior Schools Education Department ( DSSE), Federal Ministry of Education, Hajiya Binta Abdulkadir also added that, the Public Schools Debates programme has helped to wipe the phobia of public speech.
