By Atlantic Reports

Government Day Secondary School, Dutse Alhaji, Abuja, has won the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) and European Union inter-secondary school debate, earning a ₦1 million prize.

The school scored 89 per cent in Monday’s final at NILDS headquarters in Abuja. Government Science Secondary School, Maitama, finished second with 76 per cent and received ₦500,000.

Ambassador Global Academy, Kwali, placed third and received ₦250,000, while Baptist High School, Kubwa, finished fourth and received ₦100,000.

The competition commemorated the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child. Students debated the motion: “Empowering the girl child is more effective than punishing offenders in ending child marriage.”

The winning team argued against the motion, making the case for punishing offenders. Its victory reflected the judges’ assessment of its debate performance, rather than a policy finding that enforcement should replace girls’ empowerment.

Public Schools Demonstrate Their Potential

NILDS Director-General, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, praised the students’ confidence, reasoning and presentation skills, saying their performances demonstrated the potential within public schools.

“The impressive performances of these students shows that public schools are capable of producing outstanding students despite challenges associated with inadequate investment in education,” he said.

He urged governments at all levels to increase investment so that students could develop their abilities, adding that public school pupils had also performed strongly in NILDS quiz competitions over the past 11 years.

Sulaiman called on public institutions, businesses, development partners and the media to support girls’ education and the protection of their rights.

He said NILDS had supported legislative and policy initiatives addressing female genital mutilation, gender-based violence and early marriage, and was working with UN Women and other organisations to advance girls’ welfare.

Debate Builds Confidence and Advocacy

The Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ambassador Gautier Mignot, said the competition encouraged gender equality, confidence and leadership among young people.

He cited estimates that about 129 million girls worldwide remained out of school and approximately 12 million experienced early or forced marriage annually. He also referred to a United Nations assessment that ending child marriage could take 300 years at current rates of progress.

The figures were presented as global estimates, not statistics specific to Nigeria.

Mignot called for targeted investment to address structural inequalities. He said the EU’s Gender Action Plan III sought to incorporate gender considerations into at least 85 per cent of EU-funded projects through international partnerships.

He also highlighted EU support for initiatives addressing gender-based violence, adolescent reproductive health and girls’ education.

The winning team, he said, would visit the EU Delegation to learn about its work.

Grace Onuoha, the lead speaker for Government Day Secondary School, Dutse Alhaji, expressed delight at the result and pledged to take the discussion beyond the competition.

She said she would educate classmates and friends about the dangers of child marriage and encourage girls to speak out against abuse.

Atlantic Reports: Voices. People. Facts.