Waterford students are national debating champions
Kate Ann Daniels, Mara Matthews, Vita Marohnic and Saoirse Corcoran celebrate their win
Students from Abbey Community College in Waterford emerged victorious at recent Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board Inter Schools Senior Debating Competition final.
The Waterford students opposed the introduction of AI in post primary school education and they went up against formidable opponents in the form of students from Gaelcholáiste Cheatharlach in the final which was held on Tuesday, May 14, at the Newpark Hotel, County Kilkenny.
In the final of the competition debating the motion, AI should be officially Integrated into the Post Primary School Education System, both teams put forward compelling arguments for the proposition and for the opposition.
Chief Adjudicator Clare Ryan spoke of both teams’ knowledge and understanding of the subject matter, remarking on the teams’ references being outstanding throughout.
She also noted that the “teams worked superbly together, their arguments built in an incremental way”.
The motion was not carried seeing Abbey Community College take home the trophy for a second year running.
Team captain Mara Matthews along with her team Kate Ann Daniels, Vita Marohnic, with timekeeping by Saoirse Corcoran, set out their opposing argument to the motion with Mara stating that AI was “a serious threat to our school ethos".
"AI diminishes our critical thinking skills, and we do not need AI educating us," she said.
The second speaker Kate Ann Daniels asked: “How long does it take for AI to become a crutch?”
Remaining true to their school’s core values, the third speaker Vita, argued: "It’s not progress, it’s a path that leads us away from our core values; do we want classrooms led by code or by compassion?” Students of Gaelcholáiste Cheatharlach, Teegan Nic Eochaidh Ní Ghuaire, Ava Ní Dhéin and Faith Nic Aogáin, chaired by Colleen Ní Mhurchú, put forward their argument for the introduction saying: “AI is already part of our education experience; children are growing up with TikTok, not textbooks. They swipe before they speak."
Speaking about the competition, Pauline Egan, acting Chief Executive of KCETB said: “This competition speaks to our commitment to promoting the student voice.”
She also thanked students for “their courage to stand up and debate” while also expressing gratitude to the teachers for coaching and mentoring their students throughout the year.
The final was the culmination of 12 schools taking part in the competition, with semi-finalists from Borris College and Kilkenny City Vocational School also in attendance to receive their certificates.
