English Debating Circle

• The English Debating Circle of Bishop’s College is a society of competitive english language debaters who are involved both in local debate circuits and international tournaments. Through the guidance of our Principal, Vice-principal, staff advisors and coaches the Debating Circle has soared to great heights as the years progress.

Executive Committee

• Captain – Anah Cassim
• Vice-Captain – Tiara Ganegama
• Teachers-in-charge – Ms. Sathindra Amarasinghe

                                              – Ms. Shiromi Tennekoon

• Current Coach – Ranudi Jayasinghe

History

• The English Debate Circle was founded in the 1930’s as an extension of the English Literary Societies activities and held meetings every fortnight

Practices - The English Debating Circle has practices twice a week under the supervision of our staff advisors and guided by the coach of the teams

Notable Achievements

2008

• The Bishop’s College A team was placed semi-finalists at the All Island Debate Championship with the team consisting of Sandaruwani de Silva, Sarah Jameel and Keshia Pendigrast

2009

• Bishop’s College was placed overall quarter finalists at the 4th Faculty of Law Sri Lanka Schools Debating Championship
• Dr. Stanley Abeysekera Challenge Shield - St. Joseph’s College
• The team comprising of Sandaruwani De Silva, Thameena Zarani and Keshia Pendigrast emerged overall winners and Sandaruwani De Silva was awarded best speaker
• The team comprising of Rashmi Dias, Asma Azmy and Priyanka Bastianpille emerged first runners up and Rashmi Dias was nominated as best speaker in this category
• Bishop’s College qualified for the finals of the Debaters’ Council League
• Bishop’s College was placed semi-finalists at the Musaeus College Impromptu Debating Competition.

2011

• Wanya Gunawardene, Sinneli Jayampathy and Enneshya Perera ranked as the 10th, 11th and 12th Best Speakers’ at the All Island Moot Court Law Faculty Debates
• Wanya Gunawardene, Sinneli Jayampathy and Enneshya Perera were also selected to the Sri Lanka Pool to represent Sri Lanka in January 2012

2012

• Team A emerged quarter finalists at the Sri Lanka Schools Debating Competition
• 6 out of the 9 speakers that took part in the competition were selected to be among the 50 best speakers in the Sri Lanka Schools Debating Competition

2016

• The debating team qualified for the octofinals of the Sri Lanka Schools’ Debating Tournament organised by the Faculty of Law of the University of Colombo
• They became Semi finalists at the Impromptu Debating Championship organised by Holy Family Convent

2017

• At the Dr. N.M. Perera Memorial Challenge Trophy Debating Tournament organized by Ananda College, the team comprising Ranudi Jayasinghe, Sonakshi Jayamanne and Nethma Karunaratne qualified to the Semi-finals.
• They also emerged 5th at the Elizabeth Moir Debating Competition
• Team B comprising Ranudi Jayasinghe, Sonakshi Jayamanne and Nethma Karunaratne qualified for the Octa- Quarters at the Sri Lanka Schools’ Debating Competition, organized by the Faculty of Law of the University of Colombo

2018

• Stafford International School Debating Championship 2018

                             -Team A was placed quarterfinalists

                             -The novice team comprising of Anah Cassim, Shaadia Cader and Anumm  Irshad emerged Novice                                            Champions

• Dr. N.M Perera Memorial Challenge Trophy

                             -Team A placed quarter finalists

                             -Ranudi Jaysinghe and Nethma Karunarathna were placed among the top 10 speakers of the tournament

• Anah Cassim was placed amongst the top 10 speakers at the Lillian Nixon Debate Challenge 2018
• Bishop’s College held the inaugural Inter-school Debate Championship where Royal College emerged victorious

2019

• Team A and Team B of Bishop’s College were placed semi finalists and quarterfinalists respectively at the 14th Faculty of Law Sri Lanka Schools Debating Championship
• Dr. N.M.P Challenge Trophy 2019 Champions

                 -Ranudi Jayasinghe and Nethma Karunarathna were place joint best speaker      and  Sonakshi Jayamanne was                      placed third best speaker at the tournament

• Lillian Nixon Debate Challenge 2019

                 -Bishop’s College was placed octo finalists

                -Ranudi Jayasinghe and Nethma Karunarathna were placed 3rd and 7th best      speaker respectively

• Sonakshi Jayamanne and Anah Cassim were selected for training amongst the national pool of English Debaters
• Bishop’s College qualified to participate in the Debaters’ Council League as one of the top four schools on the local debating circuit

2020

• The Bishop’s College A team was placed semi finalists at the Elizabeth Debating Championship 2020
• 15th Faculty of Law Sri Lanka Schools Debating Championship

                -Team A and Team B were placed finalists and octo finalists respectively

                -Anah Casim and Ranudi Jayasinghe of team A were placed 3rd and 6th best        speaker of the tournament                           respectively

• Anah Cassim was placed best speaker at the Dr. Vijitha Weerasinghe Memorial Online Tournament 2020
• The Bishop’s College A team was placed octo finalists at the Debaters’ Council Online Championship with the team comprising of Anah Cassim, Sonakshi Jayamanne and Anumm Irshad
• Anah Cassim and Aniqah Irshad were selected for training amongst the National Debate Pool
• Anah Cassim was selected to represent Sri Lanka on the official national team at Macau World Schools Debate Championship 2021

2021

• 16th Faculty of Law Sri Lanka Schools Debating Championship

            -Team A was placed semi finalists

            -All 3 speakers were placed within the top 10 with Anah Cassim, Sonakshi     Jayamanne and Tiara Ganegama                         being    placed first, fifth and seventh best speakers   respectively

• The Bishop’s College team emerged runners up at the Elizabeth Moir Online Debating Championship 2021
• Dr. N.M.P Challenge Trophy 2021

                -Team A was placed quarterfinalists

                -Anah Cassim was awarded best speaker

• The Bishop’s College A team was placed octo finalists at the D. S Impromptus organized by D. S Senanayake College
• Bishop’s College took part in their very first international tournament as a school team at South Asian Schools Debating Championship 2021 with team Bishop’s Gold narrowly missing the breaks. The team comprised of Tiara Ganegama, Afrah Athahurahman and Aniqah Irshad.

Achievements at the International Debate Platform

• Sandaruwani De Silva was selected to represent Sri Lanka on the national team

               -Sandaruwani De Silva participated at the 2007 World Schools Debating Championship

               -Sandaruwani De Silva participated at the 2008 World Schools Debating Championship

               -Sandaruwani De Silva participated at the 2009 World Schools Debating Championship

               -Sandaruwani De Silva participated at the 2010 World Schools Debating Championship where she                                             ranked overall 11th best speaker

               -Sandaruwani De Silva coached the Sri Lankan National Team for the 2012 World Schools Debating                                           Championship

• Anah Cassim represented Sri Lanka as a part of the national English Debate tea for 2021

            -The Sri Lankan Team was placed octo finalists and Anah Cassim was awarded 24th best speaker and       8th best                 speaker for overall and English as a Second Language categories

            -Team Sri Lanka were the champions of the ESL category of Oxford-WSDC 2021

            -Team Sri Lanka emerged quarter finalists at ARGO 2021 with Anah Cassim being placed 11th best                                             overall speaker

            -Anah Cassim was part of the Sri Lankan Team that was placed octo finalists at the South Asian                                                  Schools Debating Championship 2021

            -Team Sri Lanka were semi-finalists at the International Schools Debating Championship 2021 hosted     by                             QatarDebate

            -Anah Cassim was on the Sri Lankan team that was placed quarter finalists at Protea WSDC 2021 and    was                             awarded 7th best overall speaker

             -Anah Cassim was on the Sri Lankan team that was placed semi finalists of the Hong Kong WSDC                                               2021

             -Anah Cassim was on the team that was placed semi finalists at the Asian Schools British                                                             Parliamentary Open- Winter 2020

• Aniqah Irshad represented the Sri Lanka as part of the National Pool 2020-21

          -Represented Sri Lanka in the Online Dutch Schools Debating Championship 2020 and was ranked 8th     in the                     Novice Tabs

-  Represented Sri Lanka in the Hong Kong Open WSDC 2020

-   Represented Sri Lanka in the Exhibition Debate held by the World  Economic Forum 2021

Images from the inaugural Inter-school Debate Championship