Stewards Pooi Kei College (SPKC), the runner-up in the previous Nesta-SCMP Inter-School Debating Competition, took a step closer to returning to the finals after beating Heep Yunn School in the fifth round.
The debate was held last Thursday at SPKC. The two school teams locked horns over the motion: 'Having street demonstrations does more good than harm for Hong Kong's progress.'
Both teams presented clear arguments. SPKC, the affirmative side, proposed that demonstrations were an effective way to bring attention to important issues and educate people about them. Heep Yunn countered that demonstrations were selfish acts that ignored the larger good in society.
The teams had a heated argument over the definition of 'progress'.
SPKC's first speaker, Anna Ho Cheuk-yan, a Form Six student, focused on how street demonstrations allow democracy in Hong Kong to flourish.
The negative side argued that progress meant not only in politics but social and economic development as well. They said street demonstrations led to polarisation in society and one-sided views.
The second speaker of the affirmative side, Jessica Tam, responded by stressing that street demonstrations were often related to social and environmental issues, not just political ones.