Kwara State has recorded another major academic achievement after its pupils defeated Lagos 5-1 to win the 2026 Presidential Schools Debate Championship in Abuja.
The victory marks the fifth time the state has emerged champion in the national competition.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq celebrated the achievement, praising the students for their impressive performance and ability to maintain Kwara’s dominance in the contest.
The winning team featured Halimoh Abdulazeez from Ilorin West, Khadija Kazeem from Offa, Omolola Ibrahim from Moro and Samaila Daniel from Ilorin East.
In a Facebook statement on Saturday, the governor expressed satisfaction with the outcome, describing the competition as highly competitive.
“I am very glad to learn that Team Kwara has won the highly competitive 2026 presidential school debate for a record fifth time,” he said.
AbdulRazaq attributed the success to the combined efforts of the pupils, their teachers, parents and education officials in the state.
He specifically acknowledged the contributions of the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development and the State Universal Basic Education Board in preparing the team for the championship.
According to him, the victory reinforces the importance of continued investment in education, particularly in improving learning outcomes and developing pupils’ academic abilities.
“Essentially, this feat and other achievements of Kwara pupils at different fora are a reflection that the investments of our administration in the education sector for the past seven years are yielding good results. I am, indeed, encouraged to do more,” he stated.
The governor also praised the SUBEB Chairman, Sheu Adaramaja, following his recognition as Nigeria’s Best SUBEB Chairman, describing the award as an acknowledgement of his commitment to basic education.
The national competition, organised by the Federal Ministry of Education, brought together pupils from public primary schools across the country.
Kwara secured its place in the final after overcoming teams from Edo, Delta, Katsina, Niger and Lagos states.
The champions were presented with a trophy and N500,000 by the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, Aisha Garba.
The Presidential Schools Debate was established to promote literacy, research, critical thinking and effective communication among young Nigerians.
Approved in 2001 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the competition provides a platform for pupils to develop their debating skills and engage with different perspectives.