Why cannot deserving students who are keen to both debate and write essays be allowed to do so?
FAISALABAD: I have been a writer and debater since the time I learnt to write and speak. I have never missed a single opportunity to polish and showcase my writing and speaking talents. I was a position holder in English essay writing at the district and divisional levels last year. This year, I enrolled for both English debate and English essay writing. I managed to come second in an English debate contest at the district level recently and today — on the day I write this — was the essay writing competition.
I was shocked when halfway through the competition, an announcement was made saying that no student was allowed to participate in more than one event. I, and two other participants in the hall, had already competed in the debates and so our sheets were taken and we were led outside. Why is there such a rule? Why cannot deserving students who are keen to both debate and write essays be allowed to do so? If a student has the ability to participate in more than one event, should not he/she be encouraged?
A student who has talent in debating as well as writing should be allowed to make best use of both.
Huda Jilani
Published in The Express Tribune, November 15th, 2010.
