Online teaching motion decides school debate finalists

UPDATE: Due to scheduling conflicts, Bearsden Academy can no longer attend the Donald Dewar Memorial Debate final. The judges have unanimously decided that Jordanhill School will now take their place in final, held at The Scottish Parliament later this year.

A hotly contested debate on the rise of online teaching has sent four schools from across Scotland to the final of this year’s Donald Dewar Memorial Debating Tournament.

Pupils from Bearsden Academy, Broxburn Academy, Nairn Academy and Trinity High School saw off competitors in the penultimate round of the Law Society of Scotland’s competition last night, debating the motion: ‘This house regrets the rise of online teaching’.

The 16 semi-finalist schools were provided with the motion just an hour before the debate began.

Arguments in favour included distractions at home and technology issues hindered learning, whilst those against the motion suggesting online teaching allowed students to take in information in their own time, at their own pace.

The Law Society’s Careers and Outreach Officer Megan McDonald said: “Congratulations to our finalists! The standard of debating was excellent, as it has been throughout the tournament.

“All 16 teams presented strong arguments for and against the motion under significant pressure, pulling together the skills they have learned from the previous rounds to tackle this debate. Every pupil who participated should be proud of themselves.

“As we head into an extra special final to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of the competition, I am looking forward to seeing what our debaters can achieve as we return to the Scottish Parliament. I have no doubt they will do a fantastic job!”

The four schools will now face off in the final of the annual competition at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, 12 June. The tournament began in November 2024 with 64 schools competing.