A young, passionate and rising team of debaters from Centre of Excellence Primary School in East London is set to take on SA’s best in the 2025 Primary Schools National Debate Championships in Johannesburg from October 19 to 21.
Despite having been put together only five months ago, the team — made up of pupils aged 12 and 13 — has already made a name for itself.
The members are Akuwe Maputle, Sange Gonyela, Iminathi Mayosi, Unako Nyani, Amarachi Ogunsona and Liyema Ndzingani.
Their remarkable journey began with standout performances at key tournaments.
In May, they secured second place overall at the Pan African Schools Debate Championship which was held in East London, competing against top teams from across the continent.
Most recently, they finished second in the East London Debate League, a fiercely competitive local circuit involving some of the region’s top schools.
We only created this debating team this year, first time training, first time everything, and we have done pretty well if I can say so myself
Coach Kelvin Nkomo spoke of how far the team had come in the short time it had been together.
“We only created this debating team this year, first time training, first time everything, and we have done pretty well if I can say so myself.
“Of all the 20 competitions we’ve entered, we’ve lost only one or two.”
The mother of one of the debaters, Rifiloe Maputle, said making it to the national championships meant more than a medal.
“It means being seen, heard and challenged at the highest level of primary school debate in SA.
“As a mother, this [opportunity] means my daughter is working hard to be the best in what she does.
“I see it through her dedication, discipline and the ability to navigate challenges.
“This might also open doors for them — that they get exposure for better educational opportunities, career paths and development.”
Nkomo said the school had been heavily invested in supporting the team, offering strong support in the previous competitions, but the cost of the nationals was beyond what the school could afford.
To make their dream a reality, team members need to raise R50,000 to cover travel, accommodation, meals, tournament registration, team T-shirts and materials, and a sightseeing tour that will include the team’s two coaches.
The team launched a BackaBuddy campaign two months ago, which has so far raised a paltry R500.
Nkomo said the R500 was donated by the school principal, Natasha Steyn, with a note that said: “A team that has made us proud this entire year.”
To support the team, please visit their BackaBuddy campaign website https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/debating-at-nationals-help-us-go-to-nationals
Every contribution brings them one step closer to the stage.
Daily Dispatch
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