Kiira College Butiki has brought pride to Uganda after emerging victorious at the Summer Open Debate Competition held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from December 8 to 15, 2025, cementing its reputation as one of the country’s leading centres of academic excellence and critical thinking.
The government-aided secondary school, located in Jinja City, outperformed top schools from across Africa to claim the championship. The winning team comprised Kwagala Samuel Mulambuzi (Senior Five), Gidudu Ephraim Akaya (Senior Three and Assistant Head Prefect), and Isabirye Alvin (Senior Five and Chairperson of all Club Presidents). The students won five preliminary rounds before defeating strong contenders in the knockout stages.
The team was led by Deputy Headteacher Madam Cathy Nabuzale, who attributed the success to the school’s long-standing motto, “Discipline and Hard Work.” She said the international exposure significantly enriched the learners beyond competition results.
“The trip provided learners with wide exposure to geographical, intercultural, and academic attractions, combined with extraordinary levels of intellectual brilliance,” Nabuzale said.
She added that the experience strengthened key competencies such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and global citizenship, which are central to Uganda’s Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
The CBC, adopted by the Ministry of Education and Sports in February 2020, focuses on learners demonstrating practical skills, knowledge, and values rather than rote memorisation. It is currently being rolled out in phases, beginning with lower secondary education, with universities expected to fully align by the 2027/2028 academic year.
Following their victory in South Africa, Kiira College Butiki has earned the opportunity to represent Uganda at the Eurasian Schools Debating Championship (ESDC) 2026. The competition will take place from January 17 to 19, 2026, at Robert College in Istanbul, Turkey.
The ESDC is a prestigious annual international debating tournament, first organised in 2011 by the Robert College Debate Society. It brings together high school teams from across the world to promote public speaking, research skills, teamwork, and cross-cultural understanding using the World Schools Style Debating format.
Founded in 1959, Kiira College Butiki is widely recognised for academic excellence, leadership development, and career guidance. Headteacher Moses Semwanga said the school’s focus goes beyond academic success to character formation.
“With our focus on virtue, we are committed to producing individuals who embody integrity, responsibility, and compassion,” Semwanga said while receiving the team at Entebbe International Airport.
Debate Club patron Sarah Munaba also praised the students and urged them to remain focused as they prepare for the Istanbul competition.
“You are not just representing Kiira College Butiki, you are representing Uganda, East Africa, and Africa,” Munaba said. “Go out there and debate with conviction, stay humble, and remain true to your values.”
As Kiira College Butiki prepares for its next global challenge, the school’s latest achievement stands as a powerful example of how disciplined learning, critical thinking, and character development can prepare young people to compete — and succeed — on the world stage.
