KUCHING: Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, in collaboration with SMK St Anthony, Sarikei, has successfully hosted the inaugural Sarikei District Novice Debaters’ Workshop and Competition on Feb 21 and 22.
Organised by the Swinburne Debaters’ Club, the event aimed to develop secondary school students’ critical thinking and public speaking skills.
Five secondary schools from Sarikei – SMK Sarikei Baru, SMK Tinggi Sarikei, SMK Bandar Sarikei, SMK Sungai Paoh and the host school, SMK St Anthony, each sent two teams to the competition where teams received intensive training and competitive debate exposure in preparation for the competition.
“This training aligns with Swinburne’s mission to empower and offer opportunities for growth, leadership and communication skills,” the university said in a press release yesterday.
The competition featured three preliminary rounds, semi-finals, and a grand finale, covering topics such as education, health, youth, sports, and the environment. SMK Sarikei Baru Team A emerged as the champion.
The event highlighted growing interest in debating among Sarawak’s secondary schools.
Recognising this potential, Swinburne Sarawak said it is extending a special invitation to interested secondary schools to compete at the upcoming Swinburne Sarawak Inter-school Debating Championship (SSIDC) in August 2025.
The SSIDC offers students opportunities for high-quality debate experiences, leadership development, and university-level discourse without financial barriers, reinforcing Swinburne’s commitment to accessible education and talent growth.
