Aduvie International School, Jahi District, Abuja, has emerged winner of the second edition of 2018 Abuja Schools Debate Tournament organised by Chen Teen and Youth Development Initiative (CTYDI), a Non-Governmental Organisation.
The school, which competed with seven others in Abuja on Thursday, was joyful after battling with others on several topics relating to juvenile delinquency.
The school went home with a trophy and a cash prize of N50,000.
Kingsville College, Jahi, came second with a cash prize of N30,000, while Titsall Global Schools, Wuse, Abuja, took the third position with a cash prize of N20,000.
The tournament had “Juvenile Delinquency: A generational Time Bomb” as its theme.
The General Manager of ICT, National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Mrs. Catherine Ugbe, urged government to educate the youth as they were the future of the country.
Ugbe said a lot of problems encountered as a nation would not have been there if youths were properly educated.
She added that “a generation will surely perish if they lack knowledge and this is why only an educated, enlightened and informed youth will be free because ignorance impedes security of all levels.
“If we educate, enlighten and empower the youth, the tyranny and oppression of the mind and body will vanish. We, therefore, need education to chase away the evil spirit of vices in our society.”
Ugbe also urged government at all levels to encourage the pursuit of knowledge by Nigerian youths.
She encouraged the teaching of civic, morality and humanity in schools to preserve the future of the nation.
The Executive Director, Chen Teen and Youth Development Initiative, Dr. (Mrs.) Olusola Oresanya, said the objective of the tournament was to create platform where young people would learn and be heard.
Oresanya noted that the platform was aimed at proffering solutions to lingering vices associated with youths due to influence from peer group and the society at large.
She said “we live in a society where issues relating to youths who are the leaders of tomorrow are most times neglected.
“This platform is to create awareness about the dangers of juvenile delinquency among youths.
“It is also to proffer solutions on what to do as a society, as a country and also to address the menace in our nation.”
Oresanya added that if the issue of juvenile delinquency was not tackled, it could jeopardise the progress of the nation.
An educationist with Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs. Mercy Utake, said the educational system had been positioned to tackle the menace of juvenile delinquency in the society.
Utake said the ministry had made provision for guardian and counselling unit in secondary schools where students who exhibit various indecent acts could be mentored for change.
She, therefore, urged teachers, principals and administrative staff of schools to be on their toes in curbing any act capable of destroying students and the society at large.
A teacher from Kingsville College, Gwarimpa, Abuja, Mrs Hope Okorie, urged students to give in their best in all they do to have a better society.
Eight schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) participated in the 2018 edition of the tournament.
They are Kingsville College, Gwarimpa, Pacesetters College, Wuye, Sascon International School, Maitama, Livingspring International School, Gwarimpa and Titsal Global School, Wuse.
Others are Aduvie International School, Jahi, Redeemer Teap International, Garki 2 and Divine mercy Secondary School, Asokoro.
Livingspring International College clinched the top at the maiden edition of the tournament which took place in 2017 during the commemoration of the Children’s Day Celebration.
