The report summarizes the 1st Ghana Tertiary Debating Championships held from January 30th to March 9th, 2012. [1] Sixteen universities underwent training in the British Parliamentary debate format. [2] Eight universities then qualified and competed in the championships hosted at the University of Ghana, with Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology winning first and third place. [3] While largely successful, challenges included delays, funding issues, and last-minute withdrawals. Lessons centered on strengthening partnerships, incorporating television production, and better planning accommodation and transportation.

1. DEBATE GHANA ASSOCIATION
REPORT ON THE 1ST GHANA TERTIARY DEBATING
CHAMPIONSHIPS 2012
Start 30th Jan- 9th March 2012
BY
CHRISTIAN LEBRECHT MALM-HESSE
12 TH MARCH, 2012.

2. TABLE OF CONTENT
I. Executive Summary 2
II. Description 3
A. Background 3
B. Scope of work 3
III. Implementation 4
A. Results 7
B. Constraints and Challenges 7
C. Management 9
IV. Lessons Learned/ Recommendations 10
Annex 1 schedule 1 GTDC 2012 12

3. I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Ghana University Debating Project & Championships is designed by the Association
to set the frontiers of youth development in these forensic arts strongly to grant a
meaningful participation of our country in both local and international events of debate
and public speaking.
The main objectives of the project include: To out fare the maiden Ghana University
Debating Championships; Competition motivates students to improve themselves; Boost
student performance by training tertiary students in the all new format to the country,
British Parliamentary Debate Format ;Build effective outcomes: One-on-one
tutoring/coaching model provides individualized instruction and provide a safe, familial
atmosphere that nurtures student growth; to build a resourced local capacity for debate
trainees (teachers, debate team coaches, etc.) and to serve as a mechanism for the
country’s universities to qualify for international championships.
The project is divided into four structural phases and these include: Identification of
universities (formation of debate clubs, application, affiliation procedures, etc.); modules
and resources (training for universities/clubs, establishments of clubs with school, Debate
Clinics, etc); Grade Point System (Isolated competitions with affiliate universities only to
grant institutions qualification grade point to GUDC) and the organization of the GUDC.
The project targeted 16 Universities drawn from all the regions of Ghana to undergo
training and eight (8) to compete in the debate championships. The language used was
English.
The Association raised funds of $1,829 to support the training of the sixteen (16)
institutions identified, as this was not captured in the budget. The training formed the
backbone of the project as they knew nothing about the BP format.
The Association, considered important the training of the BP and the chair moved for the
raising of $4,386 for the shooting of a pilot production coupled with the event. This is to
better the position of the seriousness to training in the BP and debating as a whole for the
youth and our relevance to participate at words and Pan African University Debating
Championships

4. The event lasted for six (6) days and the teams left for their universities on the seventh
day. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) won the first
and third places with the University of Ghana placing second respectively. Trophies,
plaques and certificates were given to deserving debaters and teams i. On the whole it
was a success.
II. DESCRIPTION
A. Background
As part of the Association’s comprehensive and strategic approach to develop debating in Ghana
it proudly initiated the Ghana Universities Debating Championships 2012 Project, which was
later dubbed Ghana Tertiary Debating Championships with funding from Open Society Institute.
This included Polytechnics and other tertiary institutions in the country thereby opening the
democratic processes among the youth.
The goals of the project sought to accomplish the following:
i. Create intellectually characterized environment, where students would debate domestic
and foreign policy resolutions from a variety of perspectives and develop students’
speech, oratory and civil skills.
ii. Organization of the maiden edition of the Ghana University Debating Championships
2012. The implementation of this has paved way for our institutions to move away from the
middle school format practical to the BP style as that the country can effectively participate
at worlds. The union phases of the project included identification phase, training and
resources, grade point system and the championships with a target population of 8
institutions.

5. The final phase of the event by the championships came off at the University of Ghana. This is
the largest and oldest university in the country. It was founded in 1948 and currently has a
student population of 42,000. The university is mainly based at Legon, about 12km northwest of
the centre of Accra. Participants’ institutions ranged from universities, polytechnics.
B. Scope of Work
The Association in order to enhance the planning and organization of the maiden edition of the
project effectively and efficiently formed a National Tertiary Debate Committee to have an
oversight responsibility. The committee was comprised of three (3) representatives from the
national youth leadership unions in the country namely National Union of Ghana Students
(NUGS), Ghana National Union of Polytechnic Students, and Private Union Students
Association of Ghana. These bodies are the largest youth front in the country assisted with our
decentralization policy and grass root participation initiations as well. The project organization
and implementation was divided into four main activities and these have been enumerated
below:
Identification of Universities /Institutions
The representing leadership Unions as mentioned have universities and institutions under their
umbrella as such they were ask to present five (5) institutions aside university of Ghana, the host.
The school given by the student unions included:
 Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
 Institution of Professional Studies

6.  Ghana Institute of Languages
 University of Education, Winneba
 University of Ghana
 Catholic University of College of Ghana
 Ghana Christian Science University (Kumasi)
 Ghana Christ University
 Methodist University of College
 Islamic University
 Koforidua Polytechnic
 Kumasi Polytechnic
 Accra Polytechnic
 Bolgatanga Polytechnic and
 Takoradi Polytechnic.
These sixteen (16) institutions were identified and subsequently discussions, application and
registration procedures were done to complete formal relations for their engagements. These
institutions are scattered across the ten regions of the country.
Training Module and Resources
This activity started in week two (2) to four (4) of the timeline. Universities identified as per
their Debate Society members underwent training of the British Parliamentary style
argumentation literacy as this is new to the Ghana debate community. The Association trained
staff established two (2) Debate Societies and revived fourteen (14) Debate Societies as the
identified institutions. Debate Clinic and workshops were organized for the society over
presentation slides to ensure participation learning and interact. Coaches, trainers, educators and
debate leaders were not left out in this exercise was for the association on project implementation
team to impact fully the BP styles, its whiles and argumentation literacy and an ultimate forgone
conclusion on the middle school format.
Grade Point System (GPS)

7. The indicator of this activity was to make sure that the BP debate procedures are well acquainted
with by the debate societies. Subsequently the GPS round was meant to usher the universities
and their teams into a qualifying round to ensure that assimilation of the training is optional and
effective and the University debate teams were ready to participate at the Nationals (Ghana
University Debating Championship). This was based on their raw scores. Eight (8) universities
made it to the championships but indications show that more training needs to be done.
Ghana University Debating Championships
The program of the event captured and details outlines of events. The championship arrivals of
was on Saturday 3rd march 2012. Two institutions pulled out. The institutions which made it to
the event itself from the GPS included University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of
Science and Technology, Catholic University, Kumasi Polytechnic, University of Education
Winneba, Ghana Christian university, Ghana institute of languages and Islamic University.
However, Islamic University and Ghana Christian University pulled out at the stage. They cited
lack of financial support from their school administration to facilitate their travelling. The
participation institutions were ask to file three(3) teams and ten (10) debaters as observers to
enhance our training effort in the future. We had a total of 96 participants’ three adjudicators
and 10 officials from the organization.
Moreover, in the light to develop the debate front of the country, the Association raised extra
funds of $1,829 to support training of the participants in their schools before the event date and
raised additional $4,386 to shoot the maiden edition as pilot to later run on television, as these
cost were not captured in the budget. This is to further entrench our position as a debate
promoting organization and count on OSI and other institutions to help Debate Ghana
Association. The event lasted for six (6) days and the teams left for their universities on the
seventh day. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) won the first
and third place with the University of Ghana placing second respectively. Trophies, plaques and
certificates were given to deserving debaters and teams. On the whole it was a success.

8. II. IMPLEMENTATION
Start 30th Jan- 9th March 2012
a. Result
Outcome indications for measuring the effect on impact of activities.
Activity 1: Expected Indicators of Means of
outcome/result outcome/result verification/
measurement
Identification of Participation of Completion of formal Inspection of
Universities Universities for procedures with records &
implementation of Universities supervision
project.
Activity 2: Expected Indicators of Means of
outcome/result outcome/result verification/
measurement
Training modules Debate trainees to Establishments/revival Inspection of
and Resources for be conversant with of debate & literary records of
UNIVERSITIES the GUDC clubs in universities participating
debate trainees & Registration of universities.
representatives participants/universities Periodic visit
Teaching methodologies to debate
Debate clinics trainee’s
universities.
Supervision
Activity 3: Expected Indicators of Means of
outcome/result outcome/result verification/
measurement
Grade Point System Debate teams GPS league round Assessment of
familiar with qualification. 8 participation
debate procedures universities qualify to and
& the GPS GUDC qualification
ranks of
debate teams
to GUDC.
Activity 4: Expected Indicators of Means of
outcome/result outcome/result verification/
measurement
GUDC Overall winner Judges. Supervision
Championships adjudged Debate teams.
Halls to host event.
Debate coaches.
Resolutions selected

9. and tagged to all
debate sessions.
Competition Logistics
Feeding
Transportation
Overall project: Expected project Indicators of project Means of
outcome/result outcome/result verification/
measurement
To create an Registration of 8 Organisation of maiden Supervision
intellectually Universities in the GUDC 2012
characterized country.
environment, Organized seminars
where students can for trainees to
debate domestic acquaint
and foreign policy themselves with
resolutions under procedures.
the British Universities
Parliamentary motivated to
Debate style as participate in the
against the middle GUDC
school format. championships.
b. Implementation Plan (Gantt chart)
Person Jan 24th 2012 Feb March
ACTIVITY (use of trained
Responsible champs
volunteers as usual)
Identification of Seth Osafo
Universities
Training modules and Lebrecht
workshops for SHS debate Hesse
trainees &
representatives
Grade Point System Cyril
Awudja
The Debate Christian L.
championships Malm-Hesse

10. c. Constraints and Challenges
The expected start time delayed until our notification from our Bankers on the 24th of
January 2012. This affected our time lines for implementation. We were constraint with
time as we had to re-identify and balance the implementation period with the academic
calendar considering the period given for implementation. On the whole we were able to
do adjustments through consultations for the implementation period.
Secondly, communication and responsiveness from youth leaderships were difficult as
their representatives didn’t line up to their expectation and role play. The association had
to role play for personnel’s changed with certain organizational activities especially in
areas of marketing and communication.
Thirdly, the Association struggled to raise fund of $1,829 to support the training of the
sixteen (16) institutions identifying as this was not this was not captured in the initial
budget. The training formed the backbone of the project as they knew nothing about the
BP format.
Fourthly, two institutions pulled out at the final stage citing lack of support from their
administration financially and this affected the organization to some extent. We quickly
had to rely on tabbing and dummies to make do for the effect.
Furthermore, University of Ghana while identified as the host and was subsequently
charged with accommodation arrangements. However, this did not go as planned and the
Association had to address their inability to provide such facility with a Private Hostel
facility close to the main Halls on campus to house debaters, observers and adjudicators.
One of the biggest problems was internal transport issues as this was not captured fully.
The dependent variable was the student shuttle run by private hostel but this arrangement
failed at the final stage but the organizers found alternative measure for this problem.

11. Nonetheless, allowances for adjudicators were not captured in the budget. This problem
was also dealt with by the Association. The championships had three (3) adjudicators
trained locally (two lectures and a lawyer) by the Association for the championships. We
hope to subsequently capture these values.
d. Management
The management or organizing committee engaged 20 volunteers for about three (3)
months. They were trained in the BP format and moved and traversed the country
training students in BP and argumentation literacy.
The management ensured that feeding was the best. Consideration was given to
participants on special diet. The management considered high, the training of the BP and
the chair moved for the realizable funds of $4,386 to ensure the shooting of a pilot
production. This is to better the position of the seriousness of BP and debate training for
the youth and our relevance to participate at words and Pan.
Management, subsequently maintained relevance of the general components of the
organization and implementation of the project and even put in more with the raising of
funds for the pilot production of a reality BP debate show for universities on television.

12. Areas such as transportation for debaters, marketing and communications as this were
managed well. Radio Universe covered the event. Awards and Certificates were given to
deserving debaters. Accommodation for both debaters and adjudicators including an
assisting adjudicator from Nigeria Were also arranged for effectively.
iv. Lessons Learned/Recommendations
 The organization of the project was generally a success with funding from Open
Society Institute (OSI). We pray that as the event is scheduled as an annual project we
count on the timely release of funds to help the management and implementation of
timelines.
 That Leadership Unions must be strengthened as they stand as strategic partners for
youth development and the Association is keen on this move. This will help the
Association to start building from the grass root level.
 The Association upon inculcating the pilot production to the tournament to run on
television as a reality show. This would be one of the first democratic structures to
ensure viewer debate learning through entertainment. This would run hopefully for
thirteen (13) weeks come next year. The cost of production itself would be put in the
project II budget as we hope to embark on increased and strategic engagement of the
youth in democratic process.
 The cost of training would be captured in project II budget of this initiative and as such,
make the BP training more developed. We pray to draw more training programmes and
call on OSI for partnership as the initial exposure of the students to a single training is not
enough for youth develop but post training programmes are essential.
 The Association will put in place support funds to support marginal students so as to
avoid the incidence of pull outs on such welfare grounds.
 Accommodation facility cost would be drawn to borne by participants such that it
would always secure a facility no matter how otherwise future arrangement would go.
Also, the timing of the event would be reviewed as that would also solve the facility
problem. i.e. vacations.

13.  Transport management companies should be contracted rather done depending on the
University hosting for this facility.
 Financial issues concerning allowances and payments from personnel engaged in the
project should be captured adequately to avoid payment problems on lack of allocation
funds to pay personnel during filing of projects to partnering organizations.
 The Association calls for a strong support of subsequent training programmes in the
country as the students need this to develop youthfully and participate at worlds and Pan.
i
schedule 1 GTDC 2012 annex 1