A South Sudanese lawmaker on Friday called for the expansion of interschool debate competitions across the country, saying they can help promote peaceful dialogue and critical thinking among young people.
“Education is not only what is in the book,” the official said, emphasizing the importance of extracurricular activities in equipping students with practical life skills.
Chagor Adong, deputy chairperson of the Standing Specialized Committee on General Education and Instruction in the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, made the remarks at the opening of an interschool debate competition in Juba.
Adong warned against the use of violence to resolve disputes, citing ongoing conflicts in parts of the country.
“The idea of using physical confrontation instead of dialogue is meaningless. People should use their minds and convince others through better ideas,” he said.
He said debate platforms give young people an opportunity to discuss issues affecting them “in a responsible and amicable way,” adding that such skills are essential for building a peaceful society.
Adong also praised civil society groups for supporting education beyond the formal curriculum, describing debate competitions as part of extracurricular activities that complement classroom learning.
“This shows that NGOs are contributing to the education sector by helping close gaps in extracurricular learning,” he said.
He urged organizers to expand similar initiatives beyond Central Equatoria to other regions, including Western Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Bahr el Ghazal and Upper Nile.
“This kind of activity should be expanded to reach children in other states and administrative areas of the country,” he said.
The event, organized by the Hold the Child Organization, brought together about 15 primary schools in Juba. Pupils debated topics including whether parents have done enough to protect children and whether extracurricular activities should be prioritized in schools.
Adong encouraged participants to remain committed regardless of the outcome.
“If you don’t win today, you will win tomorrow,” he said.
He declared the competition open and expressed hope that such initiatives will help nurture a generation capable of building a peaceful and inclusive South Sudan.
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