Debate Competition

The Government Team consists of two speakers:

• The Prime Minister (PM)
• Member of Government (MG) 

The Opposition Team consists of two speakers:

• Leader of Opposition (LO)
• Member of Opposition (MO) 

The debate is conducted in two stages:

• Constructive Speech (C)
• Rebuttal Speech (R) 

Semi-closed Motions: Broad but defined topics, e.g., "This House believes that the future of school education is in jeopardy." 

Closed Motions: Specific in scope, e.g., " This House would limit screen time for children under 10." 

Value Judgments: arguing whether a principle or abstract value is right, wrong, good, bad, just, or unjust., e.g., " This House believes that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."

Policy Motions: Propose concrete actions, e.g., "This House supports the concept of a green economy."

Analysis Motions: Critically evaluate or analyze a phenomenon, trend, or event, investigating the causes, effects, or broader significance of an issue, e.g., “This House believes that globalization has eroded national cultures.”

Time\Space & Actor Motions: Set in specific historical or hypothetical scenarios, e.g., "This House, as the Ministry of Human Resources, believes that the rise of AI in the workplace will increase unemployment."

New Arguments:

Allowed in the first four speeches but prohibited in rebuttals. The Prime Minister may respond to new points raised by the Member of the Opposition but cannot introduce new arguments in the rebuttal.

Points of Information (POIs):

POIs are brief interjections from the opposing team, permitted during the first four speeches (but not rebuttals). Speakers can accept or decline POIs, which should last no more than 15 seconds. It is recommended that a debating team raises 2 to 3 POIs in the entire debate. Accepting the POIs is optional. However, it is recommended that each debater accepts at least 1 POI.

Points of Personal Privilege:

A debater may raise this point if misquoted, misrepresented, or insulted by the opposing team.

Points of Order:

Raised when a breach of debate rules occurs. The judge rules whether the point is valid ("well taken") or invalid ("not well taken").

All participants are expected to uphold the following rules to ensure a fair and respectful debate environment:

Respectful Engagement:

• Personal attacks, insults, or offensive language are strictly prohibited. Debaters must focus on the substance of arguments and maintain decorum.

Respectful Speech:

Debaters should steer clear of sensitive or taboo subjects that could cause offense or harm, including:

• Violent or graphic content that is inappropriate for public discussion.
• Any topic that violates ethical or cultural standards or promotes hate speech.

Following Debate Protocol:

• No new arguments in rebuttals.
• POIs should be brief, respectful, and relevant.
• Points of Order and Personal Privilege must be raised in an appropriate manner.

Judging and Decision:

• The judging panel's decision is final. Feedback will focus on argument quality, presentation, and adherence to the rules.