It's called Speak Out 2007, a Belize City secondary schools debate and today as part of Education Week, 6 students debated the subject: which one is better for Belizean students? Local or foreign tertiary education. It's a tough question and one that is debated very regularly between parents and children. But today it was boys versus girls with Tasha Blades from Gwen Liz, and Brianna Gill and Kenisha Hyde from SCA against Anthony Wagner from Sadie Vernon, Kryston Hulse from SJC and Jamie Humes from EP Yorke. As per agreement, in the end no winner was declared but organizer Alice Castillo said that it's the spirit of debate that's being encouraged.
Alice Castillo, Organizer
"They have so much to say on their own, informally they talk and talk. There is nothing wrong with challenging all the energies they have into serious conversation into serious debate. And a debate like the one we had, Speak Out, it's the second debate we've had. We had one last year too.
It encourages them to do this, to develop self-esteem, self confidence, poise and to let them understand that what they say is important. People talk and talk and talk and say nothing. We want people to talk with substance and hopefully, challenging them in this direction, giving them a topic to be debated so that they can look at all angles of it, we will build that. It is important, very important."
Jules Vasquez,
Is that the real spirit of educating, training people not only what is in the book but training them also to think outside the book, to create their thoughts?
Alice Castillo,
"To think outside the book and outside the box, create their own thoughts, see what is best, look at both sides of an issue and make informed decisions on it."
We'll have more coverage of education activities as the week progresses.
