SHS DRR CLIMATE RESILIENCE CURRICULUM
Preparing Ghana youth for climate resilience and DRR - Disaster Risk Reduction
SHS DRR CLIMATE RESILIENCE CURRICULUM
Preparing Ghana youth for climate resilience and DRR - Disaster Risk Reduction
CORE PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS
Students voices, arguments to translate Ghana’s climate net zero ambitions into reality
CORE PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS
Students voices, arguments to translate Ghana’s climate net zero ambitions into reality
YOUTH IN CLIMATE PROGRAM
Experience DRNGHANA Youth climate ambassadors development program
YOUTH IN CLIMATE PROGRAM
Experience DRNGHANA Youth climate ambassadors development program
YOUTH IN CLIMATE PROGRAM
Experience DRNGHANA Youth climate ambassadors development program

Anecdotes spotlight

We are excited to announce the 2024 Senior High Schools Climate Change Debate Tournament. Building upon the achievements of last year 2023, The Climate Change Debating Program Center are committed to continue expanding our reach to cover five regions in 2024. The debate will cover participation from Greater Accra, Central Region, Eastern Region, Oti Region and Volta Region. We are deepening inclusion and the impact on the nation by empowering even more students to become advocates for climate change and environmental sustainability.

Central and Eastern Region

Debate Tournament 2024

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SHS Debabte Tournament - 2024

Welcome to SHS Climate Debabte Tournament

What is education for if not to increase our potential to create a sustainable and just future?

The Senior High Schools Climate Change Debating Program in Ghana; has created a dynamic and transformative platform that empowers young minds to engage deeply with the pressing issues of climate change and environmental risks.

An opportunity to foster critical thinking, collaboration, and advocacy skills among high school students, to equip them with the knowledge and motivation to become effective climate leaders and change agents in the fight against climate change.

SHS Climate Change Debating Program - Themes :

✅ Empowering youth voices for a sustainable future.

✅ Fostering informed dialogue and inspiring action for a resilient planet.

✅ Building a generation of passionate leaders equipped for informed discourse!

✅ Youth-Led collaborative climate change problem-solving.

✅ We instill a sense of urgency and responsibility in young minds.

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Mission

Empowering students to become informed advocates and catalysts for climate action through rigorous debate and collaborative solutions to build a more sustainable and equitable future for all.

Vision

Nurture a generation of informed, engaged, and empowered youth to address Ghana’s climate net zero ambition with creativity, compassion, and resolve.

Genesis

The genesis of the Senior High Schools Climate Change Debate Tournament could be a story of inspiration, collaboration, and a shared vision for a more informed and proactive generation in the face of global environmental challenges.

The idea was sparked at where our Executives and Associates group of DRNGHANA studying Ghana’s Education System and their curriculum on the role of education in combating climate change and environmental risk. The discussions highlighted a gap in active student engagement with environmental issues at a deeper, more critical level. The Chief Executive Director were inspired by stories of student-led initiatives that had a tangible impact on their communities but noticed a lack of a broader platform for students to engage in meaningful discourse on climate change.

Motivated to fill this gap, DRNGhana CEO began brainstorming. He envisioned a platform where students could not only learn about the complexities of climate change but also develop critical thinking, public speaking, and research skills. The idea of a debate tournament emerged as a perfect fit, combining educational objectives with the dynamism of competitive events.

After series of management engagements, the CEO formed a planning committee, reaching out to environmental organizations, educational institutions, and potential sponsors. Their collaboration should mark by a shared commitment to empowering the next generation to tackle climate change through informed dialogue and innovation.

The committee faced initial challenges, including securing funding, designing the tournament structure, and ensuring a diverse and inclusive participation base. They decided on a format that would encourage participation from schools across various regions, including underrepresented communities. Workshops and resources were developed to ensure all students had the opportunity to build their knowledge and debating skills, regardless of their school's resources.

The first tournament was announced with an open invitation to all senior high schools in one pilot region – Greater Accra Region. The response exceeded expectations, with schools expressing immense interest and enthusiasm for the initiative. Environmental experts and educators volunteered to judge and conduct workshops, and local businesses promises to offer sponsorships subsequent year, recognizing the value of investing in youth education on climate issues.

The success of the inaugural 2023 debate tournament laid the groundwork for what would become an annual signature event. Each year, the tournament will grow, not just in scale but also in its impact, inspiring students to initiate environmental projects, pursue careers in sustainability, and become vocal advocates for climate action in their communities and beyond.

2023 SHS Climate Debate Tournament

Travel

Greater Accra - Maiden Edition

Debate Tournament 2023

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Debate Goals

Debate Goals Focus On Four Thematic Areas

Students Advocates and Ambassadors

Development of student leaders advocates to dialogue on topical climate issues. To better prepare them to understand climate and environmental crisis and eventually set national impact actions to influence policy directions.

Schools Climate Change Curriculum

Use debate teams’ arguments to inform subsequent learning actions that will lay the groundwork for implementation, analysis and planning of schools climate change curriculum.

International Exposure

Competition winners will represent Ghana at international climate debate competitions. They would also attend international climate change gatherings by United Nations representing Ghana’s climate action advocates.

Resilient Schools

In the long term, use the debate to develop a nationwide resilient schools policy that will address the gaps in climate change, and disaster risk education targeting schools' physical infrastructure.

SHS Debating program Objectives

SHS Climate Change Debating Program objectives, towards achieving a memorable and sustainable debate program in Ghana.

Educational Enhancement

Enhance students knowledge and understanding of climate change, it’s sciences, causes, impacts, mitigation strategies and adaptation efforts.

Skills Development

Develop critical thinking, research and debate skills among participating schools

Advocacy and Action

Encourage students to become active advocates for sustainable practices and lead in climate change solutions to influence its policies.

Community Engagement

Facilitate community outreach projects that address local environmental challenges.

The Journey

It all begun! Proving-data found that the gravity of some issues requires a ‘whole of nation’ involvement. As the long-term implications require familiarizing ‘the next and greatest generation” with a complete understanding and building their competency and capacity around the issue as early as feasible in their life-long learning process.

DRNGHANA team is inspired and elated at the prospects of this five-year debate plan to cover all sixteen regions to create an institutionalized annual calendar event that not only enrich the educational experience of our students but also inspires actionable projects and change for a sustainable future. This is worth the investment that wiloptimize a climate-altered education sector in Ghana

1st PILOT Year 2023

The Senior High Schools Climate Change Debate Tournament: Maiden Edition introduced the classic parliamentary debate format contest. That rewards contestants for their preparation, research, argumentation, and delivery skills. Greater Accra Region was privileged to host the first pilot with selected eight schools using the zoning approach of the region to demonstrate proof of concept.There was high expectations to set a clash of ideas through competitive debate rounds, unleashing critical thinking and an opportunity to groom students global environmental, climate and resilience leaders

2nd PILOT Year 2024

The second edition of the senior high school's climate change debate 2024 is here.

2023 Senior High Schools Climate Change Debating Program - SHSCCDP stands as a testament to strength of partnership. And their collective commitment to environmental education; nurturing informed youth and empower future climate change leaders. The debate partners have joined forces again to elevate our efforts to new heights, further engaging more schools and students to tackle this global phenomenon. 2024 Debate tournaments my expectations: Are to prepare schools and participants to access all informations and resources and materials available for them, to delve deep into pressing environmental issues, showcasing students research and critical thinking skills. To foster more awareness and dialogue amongst debate teams. 2024 Debate second edition will feature passionate student debaters poised in addressing crucial climate change issues and environmental challenges in their prepared arguments. Who is taking the trophy home.

The debate provides a platform for students to engage in constructive discussions, promoting a clear understanding of climate change and its implications for the future. The debate topics, also described as “Motions” range from sustainable practices to policy solutions, showcasing informed discussions to achieve more climate literacy, critical thinking and environmental sustainability advocacy among students.

Success Stories

Hypothetical success stories inspired by narratives embody by the kind of impact of the Senior High Schools Climate Change Debate Tournament.

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The Community Initiative

After participating in the tournament, a group of students felt compelled to address the lack of recycling programs in their area. Using the research skills and persuasive techniques they had honed during the debates, they presented a detailed proposal to SHS Climate Change Debating Center and their District Assembly. Their initiative not only led to the implementation of a community-wide recycling program but also sparked a series of educational workshops on waste management, substantially reducing local waste.
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The Green School Project

Inspired by a debate on renewable energy, a school team launched a project to transition their school to solar power. They worked tirelessly, engaging with school administrators, local businesses, and environmental NGOs to gather support and funding. Their efforts paid off when their school installed solar panels, significantly cutting down energy costs and carbon emissions, serving as a Resilient School model for other schools in the district.
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Climate Awareness Campaign

A passionate debater from the tournament was struck by the lack of climate change awareness in her community. She initiated a climate awareness campaign, starting with informative assemblies at her school and eventually expanding to community centers. Her campaign utilized social media, workshops, and collaboration with local environmentalists to spread knowledge about climate change impacts and actions individuals could take, effectively heightening the community's engagement with environmental issues.
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Policy Change Advocacy

A debate on climate policies motivated students debaters team to delve deeper into environmental law and policy. Recognizing the potential for policy to drive substantial climate action, he began interning with a local environmental advocacy group. Leveraging the skills gained from the debate tournament, he contributed to drafting policy proposals that his group presented to legislators, leading to the adoption of stricter environmental regulations in his state.
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International Collaboration

Students debaters team that argued about the importance of international cooperation in combating climate change was inspired to live by their arguments. They established an international student network focused on climate action, connecting with students from various countries through online forums and virtual conferences. This network became a fertile ground for sharing ideas, projects, and success stories, fostering global youth collaboration on environmental sustainability.