Ibadan Schools' Debate Training and Competition

The specific problem within the challenge that we are working to solve is the lack of soft skills for young people to thrive in their community and the world. The Nigerian education system, particularly at primary and secondary levels, emphasizes technical education over building the soft skills young people need to be active students, innovative agents of change, and active citizens. Due to these limiting factors, many young Nigerians are unable to adequately express themselves despite years of participation in school and in most cases, do not adequately learn in school or rather, lose interest in school. This leads to them missing out on qualitative opportunities and an observable lack of self-confidence and self-esteem among Nigerian students. 

Also, with the increased use of social media and other forms of interactive technologies in our daily lives, there has been a trend of forced social engineering and a lack of tolerance for opposing views among internet users. This trend shows a huge gap in critical thinking among young people.

The scale of this problem is significant, impacting millions of young learners across Nigeria and potentially influencing their future prospects. According to UNESCO, Nigeria has one of the largest populations of out-of-school children globally, with over 20 million children out of school. While this statistic encompasses various factors, it also speaks to the challenges within the education system, including the lack of holistic skill development.

The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs report emphasizes the growing demand for soft skills in the workforce. Addressing this issue in Nigeria aligns with broader global efforts to prepare youth for the demands of the 21st-century economy.

There are several factors contributing to this problem, which includes

1. Limited resources in educational institutions: Many schools, especially in underserved communities, lack the resources and expertise to offer comprehensive training in public speaking and debate.

2. Traditional teaching methods: Conventional teaching approaches often prioritize memorization and standardized testing over skill-building learnings such as public speaking and debate.

3. Lack of extracurricular opportunities: Many teenagers have limited access to extracurricular activities that foster soft skills development due to factors such as financial constraints or lack of community support.

4. Fear of public speaking: Public speaking can be intimidating for many individuals, and without proper guidance and practice, teenagers avoid opportunities to develop this skill, thereby limiting their personal and academic growth.

In the year 2021 shortly after a global pandemic which took everyone by surprise, a team of young women came together to design a project that is specifically targeted at improving the public speaking skills of teenagers across a city in Nigeria. This project which started as an idea became a stage for young girls and boys to learn and get their flowers at the same time.

Our solution, the Ibadan School’s Debate Training and Competition, is a comprehensive program designed to empower teenagers with essential soft skills through structured training, intra-school competitions, and inter-school debates.

At its core, our program provides young people with the tools they need to excel in public speaking, research, and debate, thereby boosting their confidence, critical thinking abilities, and academic performance.

Public speaking and debating skills are one of the identified ways through which students can develop self-confidence, effective communication, critical thinking, and research skills. 

Here's how our solution works:

1. Training Phase: We kick off the program with a two-week intensive training session conducted in selected schools. During this phase, volunteer trainers deliver engaging workshops focused on public speaking techniques, research skills, and the fundamentals of debate using the training curriculum that is specifically tailored to the needs and abilities of teenagers aged 10 to 19.

1. Intra-School Competition: Following the training phase, we organize intra-school public speaking contests within each participating school. These contests serve as a platform for students to showcase the skills they've acquired during training. Each school selects its top performer to advance to the next stage of the competition, based on criteria such as delivery, content, and audience engagement. The intra-school competitions foster friendly competition among students, motivating them to excel and build upon their newfound abilities.

2. Inter-School Competition: The culmination of our program is the inter-school debate competition, where representatives from different schools come together to compete for prizes and recognition. The debates are structured around thought-provoking topics relevant to teenagers and society at large. Participants engage in constructive arguments, rebuttals, and counterarguments, demonstrating their ability to think critically and communicate persuasively.

Through our solution, we create a positive impact on participating teenagers by instilling confidence, improving academic performance, and fostering a passion for learning. While our approach is rooted in traditional pedagogy and face-to-face interactions, we make use of technology and video conferencing tools to facilitate remote participation in intra-school competitions and inter-school debates. Also, our team is currently developing an AI Debate coach which will improve the public speaking and debate skills of these students.

Our solution serves teenagers between the ages of 10 to 19, primarily students enrolled in secondary schools in Nigeria. This demographic represents a crucial stage of personal and intellectual development, where the acquisition of soft skills such as public speaking, research, and debate can have a great impact on their future success.

This population is currently underserved in skills development as the Nigerian Education system does not operate a skill-based learning approach. Our project focuses on both students from government-owned schools, and students living with disabilities. The project targets students particularly from low-income families who lack access to quality educational resources and extracurricular activities. Our solution bridges this gap by providing them with structured training and exposure to public speaking and debate, which are often reserved for more privileged students.

Also, due to factors such as financial constraints or lack of support, many teenagers miss out on the benefits of participating in extracurricular activities that foster soft skills development. Our solution offers a platform for these students to engage in meaningful learning experiences outside of the traditional classroom setting.

In a rapidly changing world, the ability to think critically, communicate effectively, and engage in reasoned debate is essential for academic success and lifelong learning. Our solution equips students with these vital skills, enabling them to excel in their studies and become active participants in society.

The impact of our solution on the lives of these teenagers is multifaceted, such as -

Improved self-confidence and self-esteem: Through training and practice, students gain confidence in their ability to express themselves articulately and persuasively, both in academic settings and beyond.

Improved academic performance: The development of critical thinking and research skills translates into better performance in school, as students learn to analyze information critically, formulate coherent arguments, and support their viewpoints with evidence.

Increased opportunities for personal growth: Students who participate in debates and public speaking competitions have the opportunities to engage critically with complex issues, and develop empathy, tolerance, and open-mindedness.

Finally, a study by Duffin, Frank, Latitudes in Learning, “Debate Across the Curriculum Results” in 2005, shows that high school debate improves reading ability, grades, school attendance, self-esteem, and interest in school.  

Also, the National Speech and Debate Associate (NSDA), noted that speech and debate influence on  academic progress while still in school is very promising, as -

• 15% of speech and debate participants experience higher self-esteem

• 31% of speech and debate participants attend classes more regularly

• 36% of speech and debate participants see an increase in their reading test scores

• 87% of speech and debate participants improve their analytical skills

• 100% of speech and debate participants experience an increase in interest in their classes

• 100% of speech and debate participants are less likely to experience drug use, early pregnancy, and alcohol abuse

There is an urgent need for an alternative out-of-the-classroom learning experience for young learners, particularly at the intermediate (secondary) level, to help build the soft skills of young teenagers as well as improve their overall learning experiences.

"The school debate training and competition is not just another random textbook model that was set into motion. It is the life story of a young girl from the ancient city of Ibadan. This young girl grew up as the second child of a family of six - ever curious, daydreaming, and exploring the pages of a novel.

Her journey towards life was not smooth sailing as she had to go through four different secondary schools. Despite this, she held her head up and participated in extracurricular activities like debating and news reading. She was selected several times to represent her school at numerous competitions. This experience outside the classroom gave her a hint into what she could become.

Several years down the lane - invited to the United Nations to present a youth declaration to world leaders, wrote a book, and was invited by several top developmental organizations to perform her poetry and add to educational discourses.

This young lady will ask herself one question - how did I get here? The journey here was looking back to the opportunities she had to speak and represent her schools at numerous events.

This journey boosted her self-confidence and self-esteem. This is the journey she and her team are building for so many teenagers. This is the journey of a young girl who had the gift of the outside-of-classroom learning experience.

The journey that eventually brought her to study Education Policy and Analysis at one of the most prestigious universities in the world - Harvard."

The story above is the story of the Team Lead, Karimot Odebode. Karimot and her team at the Black Girl's Dream Initiative have the lived experience of how Public Speaking and Debate can shape the life of a child and improve their learning outcomes. For the past three years, they have trained 55 secondary schools and over 1,117 teenagers in the art of public speaking, debate, and research.

To the team, Public Speaking and Debate is not just an extracurricular speaking skill, it is an active learning that encompasses research, active listening, critical thinking, and analytical thinking. By empowering students through Soft Skills and Out of Classroom Learning, they are transforming education.

We selected the Growth stage based on the significant progress and accomplishments achieved with the Ibadan School’s Debate Training and Competition. 

We developed and implemented a structured training model for students in secondary schools across Ibadan, Nigeria. This model includes comprehensive training sessions conducted by Volunteer Trainers, focusing on public speaking, research, and debate skills.

We also developed a curriculum that guides Volunteer Trainers in delivering effective training sessions. This curriculum covers various topics related to public speaking and debate, ensuring consistency and quality across different training sessions and schools.

We have successfully engaged with 55 secondary schools in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, to implement the training program. This engagement involves coordination with school administrators, teachers, and students to facilitate training sessions and intra-school competitions.

Through our program, we have served over 1,117 students in these 55 secondary schools. These students have participated in training sessions, intra-school public speaking contests, and inter-school debate competitions, benefiting from improved confidence, critical thinking skills, and academic performance.

As part of the program, prizes worth over 5000 US dollars have been disbursed to participating students. These prizes include laptops, books, and other school essentials, providing incentives for students to actively engage in the program and recognize their achievements.

We are applying to Solve because we recognize the importance of collaboration to further scale our impact at the Ibadan School’s Debate Training and Competition. We believe Solve will be the right platform for resources, expertise, and partnerships to help us overcome specific barriers and accelerate the growth and effectiveness of our solution.

Securing sustainable funding is crucial for the expansion and sustainability of our program. While we have made progress in fundraising efforts, we face ongoing financial challenges in scaling our operations, providing resources to participating schools, and offering incentives to students. We believe Solve can be a great avenue for connecting to potential donors, and learning how to be financially sustainable.  

At the moment, we are developing an AI Debate Coach which would help scale our impact. We believe Solve will be the best platform to provide access to technical experts, advisors, and mentors who can offer guidance, in enhancing the quality and effectiveness of our product.

Also, Solve is the best platform to help us develop a robust monitoring and evaluation system to measure our impact accurately over the past three years.

Our solution, the Ibadan School’s Debate Training and Competition, is innovative because, unlike traditional educational models that focus primarily on academic subjects, our solution takes a holistic approach to education learning outcomes and youth development by prioritizing soft skills such as public speaking, critical thinking, and research. By integrating debate training into secondary school curricula, we provide students with practical opportunities to learn essential skills that are often overlooked in formal education settings.

Our program emphasizes experiential learning through hands-on practice and real-world application. Rather than relying solely on lectures or textbooks, students actively participate in debates, engage in research, and receive feedback from peers and mentors. This immersive learning experience not only improves their skill but also builds their confidence and creativity.

While rooted in traditional debate training methodologies, our solution leverages technology to enhance accessibility, scalability, and effectiveness. We are currently exploring innovative tools such as AI debate coach to complement in-person training sessions and reach a broader audience.

Overall, our innovative approach to soft skills development through debate training has the potential to catalyze broader positive impacts in the education sector by improving learning outcomes.

Our solution, the Ibadan School’s Debate Training and Competition, is designed to have a meaningful impact on the problem of limited soft skills development among teenagers in Ibadan, Nigeria. Here's how our theory of change links our activities to immediate outputs and longer-term outcomes for our target population:

1. Activities:

Training Workshops: We conduct intensive training workshops for teenagers in secondary schools, focusing on public speaking, research, and debate skills.

• Intra-School Competitions: We organize intra-school public speaking contests to select students to represent their schools in inter-school debate competitions.
• Inter-School Competitions: We host inter-school debate competitions where students from different schools come together to compete for prizes and recognition.

2. Outputs:

Improved Skills: Through our training workshops, students acquire essential soft skills such as communication, critical thinking, and research.

• Increased Confidence: Participation in intra-school and inter-school competitions boosts students' confidence in expressing their ideas and engaging in public discourse.
• Recognition and Prizes: Winners of competitions receive recognition and prizes, motivating them to continue developing their skills.

3. Outcomes:

Enhanced Academic Performance: Improved soft skills translate into better academic performance as students become more effective communicators, critical thinkers, and problem-solvers.

• Increased Self-Confidence: Participation in debate competitions builds students' self-confidence, empowering them to advocate for themselves and pursue opportunities with greater assurance.
• Positive Social Impact: Equipped with enhanced soft skills and confidence, students become agents of positive social change, engaging in civic discourse, community service, and leadership roles.

Our theory of change is supported by evidence from research studies, such as the National Speech and Debate Association's findings on the positive impact of speech and debate participation on academic performance, self-esteem, and analytical skills. Additionally, feedback from students, teachers, and community members reinforces the link between our activities, outputs, and outcomes.

By providing structured training, opportunities for competition, and recognition for achievement, we expect our solution to equip teenagers in Ibadan with the skills and confidence they need to succeed academically, professionally, and personally, ultimately leading to positive social transformation within their communities.

Holistically, our key indicator is SDG 4- Quality Education "Target 4.4 - By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs, and entrepreneurship".

We aim to improve the soft skills of teenagers, including public speaking, critical thinking, and research abilities. We are measuring this progress by tracking the number of students participating in our training workshops. We conduct assessments to measure improvements in students' soft skills before and after training. We also collect feedback from students to gauge their perceived improvement in soft skills.

Another goal is to see a positive correlation between participation in our program and academic performance among students. We analyze students' academic grades before and after participating in our program to identify improvements.

Lastly, we aim to boost students' confidence and self-esteem through participation in debate competitions and public speaking opportunities. We measure this by asking students to self-report changes in their confidence levels and self-esteem following participation in our program.

Also, Trainers and mentors observe students' demeanor, body language, and overall confidence during training sessions and competitions.

Online Debate Tournaments: We organize virtual debate tournaments where students compete against each other in real-time debates conducted over video conferencing platforms. Computers are used in participating in these tournaments, allowing students to present their arguments and engage with opponents online.

Communication Technologies: We use various communication technologies, including SMS, email, and social media platforms, to engage with students, parents, teachers, and community members. These communication channels facilitate outreach, dissemination of information, and coordination of program activities while ensuring effective collaboration.

AI Debate Coach: One of our innovative technological advancements is the AI Debate Coach, a digital tool designed to provide personalized feedback and coaching to students participating in debate competitions. This AI Debateb Coach will improve the learning experience, and enable scalability by reducing the need for human trainers in every session.

Full-time  - 8

Part-time - 10

Volunteers - 60

Four years.

90 percent of our team have the lived-in experience of overcoming low self-esteem through debate and public speaking. Also, our team is made up of 70 percent black women who have the experience of living in the target community. 

We offer comprehensive training programs designed to improve students' public speaking, critical thinking, and research skills. These programs include workshops, coaching sessions, and access to educational resources. We organize intra-school public speaking contests and inter-school debate competitions to provide students with opportunities to showcase their skills, compete with their peers, and receive recognition and rewards. Through our AI Debate Coach, we offer personalized feedback and guidance to students participating in debate competitions, enhancing their learning experience and performance.

Delivery Mechanisms:

In-Person Workshops and Coaching Sessions: We conduct in-person training workshops and coaching sessions at participating schools, led by Volunteer Trainers who are recent university graduates, undergraduates, and young professionals.

Online Learning Platforms: We leverage online learning platforms to provide access to educational resources, virtual coaching, and debate simulations, enabling students to continue learning and practicing their skills remotely.

Virtual Debate Competitions: We organize virtual debate competitions using video conferencing platforms, allowing students to participate in debates from anywhere with an internet connection

Value Proposition:

Students: We offer valuable opportunities for skill development, personal growth, and academic achievement through our training programs and competitions. Students benefit from improved confidence, communication abilities, and critical thinking skills, which enhance their prospects for academic success and future career opportunities.

Schools: We provide schools with an engaging and impactful extracurricular activity that complements their academic curriculum and contributes to students' holistic development. Schools also benefit from enhanced reputation and recognition within the community.

For Sponsors and Partners: We offer opportunities for sponsors and partners to support youth empowerment initiatives, demonstrate corporate social responsibility, and align their brand with positive social impact. Sponsors receive visibility and recognition through branding, promotional materials, and event sponsorship opportunities.

Revenue Streams:

Sponsorship and Donations: We generate revenue through corporate sponsorships, grants, and individual donations from philanthropic organizations, businesses, and individuals who support our mission and initiatives.

For the past three years, we have received donations from private companies and individuals to support our project. 

We generate donations through corporate partnerships and sponsorships such as the First Bank of Nigeria, HP Nigeria, and the Flour Mill of Nigeria. We have received in-kind donations in the form of laptops, school kits, and beverages from HP and Nigeria Brewery. We have also received venue space to reduce operational costs from the American Corner. We tend to generate sufficient cash flow to fund operations through Grants, Donations, Community Support, Endowment Fund etc. We also look into developing a cost-effective online platform for training which is scalable and accessible to a broader audience.