After a fierce preliminary round at APEC Haus, six schools have advanced to the semi-finals of the Emstret Schools Debate, held during the second week of the PNG Resources Golden Exhibition. The event, themed around resource and energy governance, saw nine Port Moresby secondary schools compete, with six now moving forward to the semi-finals on Wednesday, July 23:
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Port Moresby School of Excellence
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Kopkop College
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Paradise College
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Port Moresby International School
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Jubilee Catholic Secondary School
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Tokarara Secondary School
Semi-Final Matchups and Motions
Match 1
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Affirmative: Port Moresby School of Excellence
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Opposition: Kopkop College
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Motion: “Establishing a stand‑alone sovereign wealth fund would enhance transparency, peaceful stability, and intergenerational equity compared to relying on state‑owned enterprises.”
Match 2
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Affirmative: Paradise College
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Opposition: Port Moresby International School
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Motion: “In light of ongoing rural crime and land disputes, which security reform—expedited judicial processes, community policing, or economic alternatives—would most effectively boost investor confidence?”
Match 3
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Jubilee Catholic Secondary School vs Tokarara Secondary School
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Motion: “Should mining companies be mandated to allocate a fixed percentage of their annual profits to community development and environmental restoration?”
Judges will assess teams on argument structure, relevance of PNG-based examples, team coordination, creativity, rebuttal strength, and clarity of conclusions. Preliminary rounds praised confident presentation but flagged a need for deeper policy-oriented recommendations.
According to PNG CORE’s statement, the event is more than a contest of rhetoric—it is a platform for building future resource policymakers who recognize that governance must be reflective of people, community, and long-term vision. The release highlighted how the debate “serves as more than just a contest of words” to inspire engagement with Papua New Guinea’s economic backbone.
The debate was officially launched by Mr. Richard E. Kassman OBE, Senior Vice President of PNG CORE, who linked the event to the nation’s 50-year celebration of its resource sector.
“When you walk through PNG CORE’s Golden Resources Exhibition, you will indeed join us in commemorating the 50 years of operations for the Resource sector. And there is much to celebrate and be proud of.”
Mr. Kassman also emphasized the importance of public speaking, saying students were “elevating debating to a higher stratosphere,” skillsets critical not only for academic success but for long-term career development.
Winners of the semi-final matches will compete in the grand final on Friday, July 25, to be crowned champions of the 2025 PNG Golden Resource Exhibition debate series.
Organizers confirm that the coming week will feature additional schools and enhanced industry engagement, offering students more opportunities to engage with Papua New Guinea’s resource and energy sectors.