Seven Schools Secure Spots After Intense in 2026 Inter-Secondary Debating Competition

The race for debating supremacy is officially underway, and early signs point to a

fiercely competitive season, as seven secondary schools battled their way into Round

Two of the 2026 Inter-Secondary Schools Debating Competition following an intense

knockout round.

The competition got underway on Thursday, January 22, introducing a non-

traditional format. Rather than team debates, each school was represented by a

single student, with advancement based solely on individual scores.

The opening day of debates saw six schools engaging in the motion, “Local

communities should have veto power over projects that significantly affect their

environment.”

Those schools were Orion Academy, Isaiah Thomas Secondary School, Wesley High

School, St. Mary’s Academy, Convent High School, and Arthur Waldron Seventh-Day

Adventist Academy.

The knockout round continued on Friday, January 23, when Castle Bruce Secondary

School, St. Martin Secondary School, and Portsmouth Secondary School debated the

motion, “The legal driving age in Dominica should be lowered to increase youth

independence and national productivity.”

At the end of the knockout phase, seven students emerged with the highest scores,

earning progression for their schools. St. Martin Secondary School led the field

through Shanaiyah John, who recorded the highest score of 341 points. Wesley High

School followed with Hephzibah Abenole scoring 328 points, while Orion Academy

advanced behind the performance of Taya Charles with 320 points.

Convent High School secured its place through Sienna Andrew, who scored 317

points. Portsmouth Secondary School moved forward with Maliah Ettienne earning

302 points, while Castle Bruce Secondary School advanced after Isaac Roberts scored

299 points. Isaiah Thomas Secondary School completed the list of qualifiers with

Kianna Aaron scoring 288 points.

Just below the cutoff were two schools that narrowly missed advancing. St. Mary’s

Academy, represented by Lucas Sorhaindo, finished with 286 points, while Arthur

Waldron Seventh-Day Adventist Academy’s Khaleed Colaire recorded a score of 263

points.

The seven schools will now move on to Round Two of the competition, scheduled for

February 25 and 26, where they will be joined by reigning champion Dominica

Grammar School.

Organizer Trudy Christian said the round proved to be both intense and revealing,

highlighting the depth of talent among this year’s participants. She noted that the

close results and strong performances show that 2026 is shaping up to be an

exceptional year for the competition.

Christian also expressed appreciation to the sponsors of the competition, singling out

main sponsor Josephine Gabriel & Co. Ltd. for its continued support and

commitment to youth development and meaningful national dialogue.