Youth for Change, a local group in Maryland County has ended debates on several societal issues confronting Liberia.

The Youth for Change (YOC) INC conducted a preliminary round of its debate at the main campus of the Josephus Samuel Pratt United Methodist High School (J.S.Pratt) in Harper City, Maryland County. The debate brought together eight (8) high schools including, Our Lady of Fatima High School, Pleebo High School, St. Francis Catholic High School, St. Stephen High School, O.S Collins Baptist High School, Jasper Graint United Methodist High School, and the Josephus Samuel Pratt High (J.S.Pratt) School.

The debates were focused on four topics: should media identify confidential sources, (2) should capital punishment be introduced for rapists, (3) revenue collected by the Liberia Revenue Authority has more prospects than challenges and (4) civil disobedience is a moral weapon in the fight for Justice, moderate by Sister Maima Brooks.

From a total of eight secondary schools that participated, two schools qualified for the final namely; O.S Collins Baptist High School and the Jasper Graint United Methodist High School.

Meanwhile, at the end of the competition in Harper, O.S Collins Baptist High School in Pleebo City emerged winner, which automatically qualified it to represent Maryland County at the national level.

The Supervisor of Liberia National Debate Championship Youth for Change INC Mr. NehwonSayeSuah said, the theme for the debate is, "Measuring Learning Outcomes Among Schools in Liberia."

" Let me extend my deepest thanks to all the schools that participated in the process, and the Facilitators, I will visit other counties to conduct similar process, after which the qualified schools will meet in Monrovia to see which school owns Liberia when it comes to debate", Mr. Suah added.

He disclosed that though organized by Youth for Change INC, the program is held under the auspices of Orange Liberia. Mr. Suah urged students from the participating schools, to prioritize reading of their lessons in order to prepare for future debates.

Student MakulaS.Konneh of the J.S Pratt United Methodist High School described the tournament as free, fair, and transparent, noting, "Although my school didn't qualify to go to Monrovia, but I blessed God for what we have achieved."He said such regular academic engagements among students would help in boosting the education sector of Liberia.

Student Konneh called on participants and facilitators to continue their efforts in improving the school system of the country.

Copyright The New Dawn. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com)., source News Service English