The HELP University Chinese Secondary School 6th International English Debate Final Competition was a two-day event held in the ELM Business School. This International Debate Competition was initiated by HELP as HELP has been the leader in organising English debates for the secondary schools.
The preliminary rounds were held at five zones all around Malaysia, namely the Northern, Central, Southern and Perak Zones for Peninsular Malaysia, and Zone 5 to cater for the schools in East Malaysia and China. The school representing China is Du Jiangyan Senior High School of Sichuan. HELP University has close relations with the school and has even offered scholarships to their students to pursue their tertiary education at HELP after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. From the preliminary rounds, sixteen schools were admitted into the Final rounds.
The four winning teams of the HELP University Chinese Secondary School 6th International English Debate Competition holding their prized trophies.
Sixteen schools participated in the Octo-Finals on the first day of the event, followed by the Quarter-Finals on the same day. The Semi-Finals and Grand Final, which was held on the second day, proved to be an exciting event when Han Chiang High School, Penang became the winning champion of the HELP University Chinese Secondary School 6th International English Debate Competition. The first runner-up went to S M Poi Lam (SUWA) and the second runners-up were Hin Hua High School and Sabah Tshung Tsin Secondary School. Han Chiang High School became the permanent owner of the President’s Challenge Trophy after winning for three years consecutively.
The Champion team from Han Chiang High School, Penang. (From left) Yap Jiong Yan, Cheah Yun Zhi, Ng Yee Thern, Gan Kai Xuan, and Samuel Ong, the team’s coach and English teacher.
Cheah Yun Zhi, the second speaker from Han Chiang High School, Penang receives the Best Speaker Award
This year marks Han Chiang High School’s third consecutive win for the International Debate Competitions, and therefore the challenge trophy will be permanently kept by their school. Cheah Yun Zhi, the second speaker of Han Chiang High School’s debate team also received the Best Speaker Award at the competition.
When asked about the team’s preparation strategy for the competition, Ng Yee Thern, the third speaker of the group, said that he received advice and help from his sisters who were also a part of Han Chiang High School’s previous debate teams. “The only form of preparation we did for the Semi-Finals and Grand Finals was a mock run the night before. I asked my sisters who are also very experienced debaters to help us with preparing for a mock debate. I can say that the fruit of our labor was rewarding.”
About the CSS Debates
In 2003, HELP University (HELP) launched an English Language Campaign. This was done in line with the government’s efforts to improve the standard of English usage among Malaysians. The overall objective is to put Malaysians on an advantageous and competitive footing for achieving success and progress in the global arena.
In 2012, realizing the pressing need of the Chinese Independent Secondary Schools (CISS) in Malaysia to improve the English proficiency level of the students, the President of HELP University, Datuk Dr Paul Chan pioneered the organization of the 1st National English Debate specifically for all Chinese Independent Secondary Schools (CISS) in Malaysia and Chinese Secondary schools overseas. It was subsequently renamed as “HELP University International English Debate Competition for Chinese Secondary Schools (CSS)”.
With the intention to provide CSS students with a platform to better understand the English language, and use it competently, HELP is also helping the young generation to acquire skills of public speaking, build confidence in the presentation of facts, improve the ability to conduct research on topical issues and current affairs, as well as in enhancing their thinking skills and time management.