Santo Domingo.– The Minister of Education, Luis Miguel De Camps, highlighted the school debate as a fundamental tool for forming citizens with the capacity for critical thinking, respectful dialogue, and responsible participation in democratic life, during the opening of the V National Debate Championship.
The event brings together 234 students from the 18 Educational Regionals of the country and is coordinated by the Student Leadership Program of the Dominican Republic (PLE-RD). The competition is taking place this week at the Colegio Calasanz, with the participation of 78 teams and 125 judges.
During his speech, De Camps highlighted that school debate goes beyond the training of good speakers, as it prepares students to live with differences, build solid arguments, and exercise a more conscious and participatory citizenship.
“Learning to debate matters because it teaches us to live with differences. It does not make us all reach the same conclusion, but it requires us to explain how we reached our own. Democracy does not require unanimity; it requires citizens capable of dissenting while still listening to each other, defending their convictions without denying the dignity of others, and participating in common affairs with reasons, not just impulses,” the minister expressed.
De Camps stated that the school’s mission is not limited to transmitting knowledge, but must also shape individuals capable of analyzing, questioning, and acting responsibly in the face of society’s challenges.
“School must teach knowledge, but also how to discern, formulate questions, express disagreement with respect, and participate responsibly in common affairs. Critical thinking allows one to understand a problem before attempting to solve it, recognize false information, evaluate the consequences of a decision, and act responsibly when there are no simple answers,” he stated.
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As part of the opening ceremony, the minister participated in a debate exercise alongside two students, who defended opposing positions on the same motion before the attendees. The dynamic allowed for demonstrating how this discipline strengthens argumentation, active listening, and respect for different points of view.
De Camps expressed his confidence that this experience will have a positive impact on the comprehensive training of the participants.
“I trust that excellent speakers will emerge from this championship, but also young people more willing to ask themselves difficult questions, to understand before judging, and to take responsibility for their words,” he stated.
For his part, the director of the Student Leadership Program (PLE-RD), Gerand Ventura, highlighted the growth of school debate within the public education system and the impact it has had on thousands of students during Minister De Camps’ administration.
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“Few things transform a young person as much as discovering that their word carries weight. That is, deep down, what debate does,” expressed Ventura.
The program director reported that more than 3,000 Dominican students participated in the regional tournaments of the current school year, of which 234 advanced to the national phase.
Likewise, he highlighted that the strengthening of the program has allowed Dominican students to represent the country in international competitions, demonstrating the talent existing in public classrooms when they have opportunities to develop.
In this fifth edition, the National Debate Championship incorporates for the first time the World Schools Debating Championship (WSDC) format, internationally recognized for strengthening teamwork, argumentative strategy, and the ability to refute ideas with foundations, aligning the preparation of Dominican students with standards used in global school competitions.
