User:Akuafo Addo

The Young Debaters (TYD) Ghana is a public speaking competition organized by the Young Educators Foundation (YEF) in Ghana. Established in 2010, TYD aims to identify and develop talented young speakers among Ghanaian high school students.

Objectives The primary objectives of The Young Debaters program are:

To provide a platform for high school students to hone their public speaking skills To identify and nurture gifted young speakers in Ghana To select a winner who can represent Ghana at the International Public Speaking Competition (IPSC) in London Competition Format The TYD competition is open to 16-17 year old high school students. Participants must register for a fee of GHS 350 (approximately $60 USD). The competition consists of two rounds:

Selection Process Winners of the TYD competition are selected based on their performance in both the semi-finals and grand finals. The ultimate prize includes representing Ghana at the International Public Speaking Competition (IPSC) in London.

PAST WINNERS TYD has been running since 2010, producing 11 national winners who have represented Ghana at the IPSC in London. Some notable past winners include:

1. Phoebe Priscilla Amoako (2010)

2. Caleb Kudah (2011), now a prominent journalist

3. Dr. Ama Essuman (2012), a medical professional

4. Jude Kwegyir Aggrey (2013)

5. Aniela Allotey (2014), currently working as a media personnel at Media General TV3

6. Kofi Genfi (2015)

7. Bryan Achiampong (2016), now an entrepreneur and activist

8. Prisca Amponsah (2018), advocate for gender equality and child rights

9. Fauzia Suleiman (2020), rising star in debate and public speaking

10. McKenzie Damprani (2023), current Head Prefect

11. Pearl Esinam Buadu (2024), most recent winner

Organizers and Partnerships

TYD is organized by the Young Educators Foundation (YEF), a Ghanaian NGO dedicated to promoting education and literacy. YEF also organizes other educational programs like The National Spelling Bee Ghana and Epelle-le. TYD has partnerships with organizations like the English Speaking Union (ESU), which runs the IPSC in the UK.

Impact Since its inception, The Young Debaters competition has served as a prestigious platform for Ghanaian high school students to develop their public speaking skills and potentially compete internationally. The program has produced talented winners who have gone on to excel in various fields, leaving a lasting impact on the nation.

Future Outlook With its continued growth and success, TYD remains committed to identifying and nurturing young talent in Ghana, fostering a culture of effective communication and leadership among the country's youth.