Inter-House Debate : A Report.

A couple of days ago I made an honest confession to Ms.Palden Wangme. During my entire stay of nearly 25 years in Bhutan, I have never conducted a debate contest. I even talked to her about the time when the former Principal of Phuentsholing Higher Secondary School, Mrs, Naina Kala, looking for a competent English teacher for her school, called me at Chapcha Middle Secondary School. She sounded genuinely disappointed, over the phone, when I told her the plain truth that I had never conducted a debate. Ms.Palden at the end of our conversation, in her usual vibrant manner, reassured me: “Don’t worry, Sir. Ham apke nak ucha karenge ……(I’ll never let you down).” And she has kept her words.

In the past 25 years I have had the pleasure and privilege of witnessing a number of debate contests and surprising as it may sound now to me, I even once participated in one such debate at the English Workshop held at Kuruthang, Punakha way back in the late 1990s! But I can honestly say that the Inter-House Debate in our school on the topic: Co-curricular Activities are as important as the Academics, was, if not the best, undoubtedly one of the most interesting that I have attended in my life.

Everything was arranged by the time the students started trooping in the old MPH. As Ms.Palden invited the participants to come on the stage and introduced the panel of Judges from the neighbouring schools, the auditorium was jam-packed.

She then briefed the participants along with the audience on the importance of the topic and acquainted them with the Rules of the Debate. She also dwelt on the criteria for the benefit of the participants. Nilam, a member of the Literary Club, delivered the Welcome Speech focussing mainly on the Aims & Objectives of the contest. It was all set and go then.

 The four Houses (i.e.Chung, Druk, Taag and Sing) were divided into two groups with the first two For the Proposition and the last two Against.The first speaker speaking for the motion was Rakesh Bastola. I do not know why our students prefer to keep a low profile but if this gem of a speaker did not set the stage exactly on fire, he warmed his way into the audience’s heart with his brilliant speech. His confidence level, flawless English and oratory skills, provided the Debate just the right kind of  platform to take off. Then Namgay Wangdi, speaking against the proposition, tried to convince the floor about the importance and role of Education in today’s world. He also referred to the wars in the Middle-East, especially in Palestine, Lebanon and Israel due to the neglect of education. Namgay Wangdi ended his presentation by raising a copy of what has become a universal best-seller in the last decade or so, Coelho’s classic ‘The Alchemist’. The point he was trying to make was that education, besides bringing a man name and fame, also enriches his life as nothing else can.

Sonai.e.m Choki, of Druk House, the next speaker speaking for the motion, straight away tried to build on the solid foundation provided by Rakesh. I found her style expressive and could not but agree with something she stated in the middle of her speech that if our students are encouraged to participate in the co-curricular activities, the day is not far off when a rising star may be unearthed. It was Kinley Yangzom next speaking against the motion, followed by the child prodigy (this is no exaggeration, the girl is a marvel of modern times), Sangay Choden of standard IX E. Towards the end of her presentation, I realized what a brilliant act was unfolding and decided to video-record the rest of the presentation without any further delay. 

I must not forget the Chairperson, Ms.Palden at any cost. After every presentation, she kept the audience enthralled and entertained with a dose of her witty comments and remarks pertaining to their performance. As the debate reached the half way mark, it was Ms.Pema Zangmo’s turn. I really fell for the slides she had had displayed on the screen to quote what some truly great minds had to say about the importance of education. She concluded by quoting India’s late and only woman Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi:

“Education is a continuous process from the moment we are born till we die.”

Nidup Dorji of standard XII Sc’A’ took over from where the previous presenter had left with a scathing attack on her comment that Education brings peace to our life. He drove the audience into peals of laughter by saying that he has been a student for the last 13 years and until recently (He is an Arts student), the very thought and formulae of Mathematics, instead of bringing him peace, have driven him to near hysteria! In a remarkably calm and composed manner, for one so young, he concluded by remarking that Education provides one with knowledge, while co-curricular activities with wisdom. Nidup also remarked in this connection that Life without Education is lame, but Life without co-curricular acts will be nothing short of being blind.

With Bimal Rai’s entry, the audience sat up once more and was made to change sides again, not knowing who was right and who was not. Thorough his speech, he invited the opponents to pressurising themselves if they wanted to, by being a pressure cooker and bursting under the pressure of the combined heavy workload of studies and co-curricular finally. He gave a new meaning to the maxim ‘Jack of all trades and master of none’ and had the audience thinking.

That marked the end of Round-I. The leaders of both the teams were asked to do the summing up in the Final Round. They were given 3 minutes for that and no extra marks were to be added to their marks of the previous round. This was done mainly to avoid any unnecessary hazards in selecting the Best Speaker later on.