Young Debaters Triumph at HKBA Finals in High Court Showdown
Thestandard · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Inside a hallowed courtroom, Hong Kong Baptist University Affiliated School Wong Kam Fai Secondary and Primary School (HKBUAS) and St. Joseph's College triumphed in the English and Chinese divisions respectively at the Hong Kong Bar Association's (HKBA) annual debating competition . This year's event drew 30 participating schools, with the finals held at the High Court on Saturday .
Key Points
- St. Joseph's College defeated St. Francis' Canossian College in the Chinese division final, though a St. Francis' team member won Best Debater .
- HKBUAS beat Diocesan Boys' School in the English division final, with one HKBUAS debater also securing the Best Debater award .
- The Chinese division panel included High Court Judge Douglas Yau Tak-hong, District Judge Phillis Loh Lai-ping, and HKBA deputy honorary secretary Martin Wong Wing-hoi .
- English division judges comprised High Court Deputy Judge Grace Chow Chiu-man, District Judge Harold Leong Kwok-on, and HKBA Chairman José Antonio Maurellet .
- Maurellet praised the finalists' outstanding performances and encouraged them to consider careers as barristers, citing their thorough research and analytical skills .
Why It Matters
The competition's expansion to include junior secondary students signals a deliberate effort to cultivate rule-of-law values from an early age, strengthening Hong Kong's pipeline of future legal professionals. HKBA leaders emphasized that the high-quality debates reflect the strong standard of local schools in nurturing the next generation of legal talent .
The competition's expansion to include junior secondary students signals a deliberate effort to cultivate rule-of-law values from an early age, strengthening Hong Kong's pipeline of future legal professionals. HKBA leaders emphasized that the high-quality debates reflect the strong standard of local schools in nurturing the next generation of legal talent .