‘Academic decathlon fine platform to groom bright young minds’

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Abdul Karim (fourth right) celebrating with members of the Lodge School teams, who were crowned overall champions of both junior and senior categories at the National Academic Decathlon.

KOTA SAMARAHAN: Sarawak children can compete not only with those from Sabah and the Peninsula but also those from other nations.

Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem said programmes such as the National Academic Decathlon organised by the Malaysian Institute of Debate and Public Speaking (MIDP) could create a learning environment conducive to exposing young students to today’s key global issues.

“It will teach them a whole range of skills such as those in communications, critical thinking, leadership and teamwork. Most importantly, it brings accessibility to every student of the nation to not only compete locally, but also internationally,” he said when closing the National Academic Decathlon held at DeTar Putra, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) here recently.

Adenan’s speech was read by Assistant Minister of Youth Development Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who represented the chief minister at the ceremony.

The academic decathlon was divided into five categories – Debate Challenge, Public Speaking, Brain Challenge, Writing Challenge and Group Challenge – with each further split into the junior and senior segments.

Team 131 from SMK Kuching Utara emerged champion of the Junior Debate Challenge, leaving Team 115 from Lodge School and Team 133 from SMK Kuching Utara at second and third place, respectively.

The Senior Debate Challenge saw Team 532 from Lodge School being adjudged the winner, while Team 535 from Lodge School took second place and Team 553 from Keningau Vocational School, third.

In Junior Public Speaking, Team 130 from SMK Kuching Utara beat Team 114 from Lodge School and Team 123 from Tunku Putra International School to clinch first place. The senior category, on the other hand, was topped by Team 553 from Keningau Vocational School, with Team 513 from Lodge School and Team 530 from Lodge School finishing second and third, respectively.

Team 114 from Lodge School conquered the Junior Brain Challenge, leaving Team 118 from Lodge School and Team 127 from SMK Kuching Utara at second and third place, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Senior Brain Challenge winner was Team 531 from Lodge School, with Team 520 from Lodge School and Team 550 from SMK Kuching High getting the second and third spot on the podium, respectively.

The Junior Writing Challenge winning title belonged to Team 114 from Lodge School, with Team 112 from SMK Muara Tuang and Team 120 from Lodge School announced as first and second runner-up, respectively. The senior category had Team 543 from SMK St Theresa as the winner, followed by Team 527 and Team 522 – both from Lodge School – at second and third place, respectively.

The Junior and Senior Group Challenge titles went to Team 124 from SMK St Theresa and Team 515 from Lodge School, respectively, with runners-up all from Lodge School comprising Team 126 and Team 122 for the junior category, and Team 510 and Team 522 for the senior category.

Overall Junior champion was Team 114 from Lodge School, while Team 522 also from the same school was named the best in the senior category.