Lira Town College is set to take centre stage in advancing academic excellence and co-curricular development in Northern Uganda by hosting and participating in two major debate initiatives this February and March 2026.

The Northern Uganda Debate Society has officially requested the College to host the Lango Subregional Debate Patrons Training on 28th February 2026, followed by the Lango Subregional Debate Tournament on 14th March 2026. These events are part of the Society’s annual debate programme conducted in partnership with Writing Our World, culminating in a Grand National Tournament in May where top-performing regional teams advance to the East African Debating Championship.

The Patrons Training is expected to attract ten secondary schools and approximately thirty participants, including debate patrons, matrons, trainers, organizers, and invited guests. The one-day training, scheduled from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, aims to strengthen the capacity of debate teachers by equipping them with skills in coaching, adjudication, and tournament organization. Hosting this session places Lira Town College at the heart of professional development for debate educators in the subregion.

Two weeks later, the College will welcome around seventy participants from ten schools for the Subregional Debate Tournament. The full-day competition will bring together students, teachers, adjudicators, and organizers for rigorous intellectual engagement. Beyond the competition itself, hosting offers the College enhanced regional and national visibility, direct capacity building for its debate club, and media coverage through social media and post-event publications.

In addition to these events, Lira Town College has also been invited to engage in the Innovations Defense Debate Championship (IDDC) organised by the Afro-Junior Schools Championship (AJSC). The AJSC is a registered national body mandated to organise academic competitions in Innovation, Debate, Speech, Voice Singing, Capacity Building, and Leadership Development.

The IDDC introduces a dynamic debate model under the theme “Empowering Young Minds for Sustainable Development”. In this format, each team develops an innovation addressing a real-life community problem. One team defends its proposed solution while the opposing team challenges its credibility, feasibility, and impact. Adjudicators assess creativity, reasoning, clarity, teamwork, and responsiveness, promoting not only argumentation skills but also practical problem-solving and innovation.

The championship also features Speech, Voice Singing, and Poetry competitions aimed at nurturing learners’ talents and self-expression. Outstanding poets and singers will receive international mentorship and have their productions featured on VoiceBridge Radio – Canada. To motivate excellence, the overall winning school will receive a brand-new computer and other prizes, while all participating schools will be awarded free tree seedlings to promote environmental conservation.

Together, these initiatives reflect Lira Town College’s commitment to holistic education—one that develops critical thinkers, confident communicators, innovative problem-solvers, and responsible citizens. As the College hosts and participates in these transformative programmes, it continues to strengthen its role as a leader in academic and co-curricular excellence in the Lango subregion and beyond.