Saint Thomas Aquinas topples Accra Girls in inter-school quiz
Accra Girls Senior High School, the reigning champions of the inter-school debate organised by the Ghana Culture Forum (GCF) has been toppled at the second edition of the competition by The Saint Thomas Aquinas School.
Advertisement
They took the first place with 245 points with Accra Girls slightly behind with 242points.
The other schools are Saint John’s Grammar Senior High School (SHS) and Abor SHS coming in third and fourth places with 241 points and 220 points respectively.
The debate was on the theme, “Culture, technology and current trends-making the youth the centre of transformation”.
The theme explores how Africa’s contribution to technology is underrated, celebrate development, and explore how technology can be used to uplift the identity of Africa.
The competing schools debated on topics relating to the theme; “Are Africans taking good advantage of the opportunities in the tech space?” and “Social media is devaluing the identity of African youth”.
Event
The Vice President of GCF, Ahuma Bosco Ocansey said the debate was part of events leading to the Ghana Culture Day celebration, which marked the 12th edition.
He noted that the idea of the debate was for the students to appreciate the essence of culture.
“That is the way to get the youth to appreciate the role of culture in development,” he stated.
He explained that, as part of the celebration, a symposium and delegate conference to elect a leader for the forum, would be held on tomorrow (Tuesday).
Mr Ocansey said the competing schools of the debate would be awarded at the conference.
If you read the Constitution, it states that the directive principles of state policy; that culture is central to our national development and that was what the Ghana culture forum is all about,” he added.
Influence of technology
The Chairperson for GCF, Asare Konadu Yamoah said that, although technology had influenced our culture, it could also be said that it had also devalued cultural values.
He noted that, technology affected all aspects of culture and determined the direction of its development.
That, he explained, each invention influenced the way people relate to each other and how cultures eventually expand or decline.
“With the advent of digital technology and artificial inteligence, the pace of technological developments and their application in different aspects of our lives can be highly overwhelming,” he stated.
Mr Yamoah said technology was rapidly changing our expectations and realities through the boosting of emerging trends that could inure to the boon or bane of cultural integrity.
“Given the global domination of industrialised countries, Africans have embarked on a quest for cultural renaissance, identity, freedom, and the recognition of our contribution to the advancement of human civilization including technology over the ages,” he added.
He explained that the future of the continent and its transformation lied in the hands of the youth and that it was strategic to centre their focus on the agenda of rebuilding Africa.
Platform
The Director of Culture Education Unit at the Ghana Education Service, Benedicta Yevu said the debate was a good platform to educate the youth on their cultural identity.
She expressed her desire that, students would use technology to promote the country’s culture values and norms.
“We wish they will use it to do anything that is going to make them feel and appreciate the identity of Ghanaians,” she explained.
Ms Yevu noted that, GES supported the idea that “we need to use technology to advance our culture”.