Grade 9, 10 and 11 learners recently battled for the top prize in the Namibian Ports Authority’s inaugural schools debating competition. With the support of the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, teams from thirteen of the country’s regions were represented.
This first debating competition formed part of the second Maritime Week which is presented under the auspices of the Namport’s Social Investment Fund. The debating competition ran over five days presenting key debates on various aspects of the maritime industry.
Debates began at the start of the Maritime Week, concluding during the official opening.
The exciting final featured a spirited debate between the Otjozondjupa and Kavango East regions, both vying for the top prize. The final debate centered around the motion: “This house believes that Maritime Education should be mandatory at the school level.”
Following an hour of deliberation, the Otjozondjupa region emerged as the victors, securing a substantial prize of N$500,000 for their region courtesy of Namport, along with a cash reward of N$5000 per team member, sponsored by Engen.
The ports authority extended its gratitude to the following sponsoring partners: Engen, Bank Windhoek, Namdock, Total, Guan’s Packaging, MM Signs, Vybrands, the Walvis Bay Municipality, Erongo RED and Sanitech.
During the Maritime Week, Namport opened its gates to the public on the open days. More than 2000 visitors had the unique opportunity to interact with on-site exhibitors and explore two vessels for a comprehensive understanding of the maritime industry.
Amongst the exhibitors, the following were counted: the Namibia Fisheries Institution, Namdock, Telecom, the Municipality, the Navy, Erongo RED, the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, NAMRA, the police Water Wing, AfriYoung Hoteliers Academy, the Operatec Maritime and Industrial College, and the Namibian Association for Offshore Service Providers.
Namport said its second Maritime Week, with its captivating debates and public engagement, was an exceptional success, thanks to the collaborative efforts of its sponsors and partners.
The activities were an extension of World Maritime Day which is celebrated annually on the last Thursday of September.
The debating team from the Kavango East Region was the runners-up in the first schools debating competition hosted by the Namibian Ports Authority as part of the recent Maritime Week celebrations in Walvis Bay.
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