schoolsthatrock
South Africa’s debating stage. From Silence to Stage: Curro Delft’s Debating Society Redefines Possibility.
There is something profoundly moving about watching young people discover they have something worth saying — and realising they have every right to say it with confidence.
What began as a modest after-school gathering has grown into a force to be reckoned with. Curro Delft’s debating society had no external mentors, no formal training programs, and limited resources. Yet, through sheer determination, teachers and learners also built something extraordinary from the ground up.
Today, those same learners stand on national stages, their voices ringing with authority and conviction.
Their achievements speak volumes
- Champions of the Climate Change School Debate Competition
- First place at the Western Cape Interschool Debate
- Qualified for the 2025 High School National Debating Championship at Danville Girls’ High School in Durban
They currently rank second in their division — just behind one of Cape Town’s most prestigious private schools. In the preliminary rounds of the National Debating League, Curro Delft also produced the best speaker in every single round. From ninth place last year to second this year, their rise has been nothing short of meteoric.
They’ve gone head-to-head with the likes of Bishops Diocesan College, Herzlia High School, Edgemead High School, as well as Milnerton High School — and held their own with pride.
But trophies and rankings only tell part of the story.
Listen to the learners themselves
“I’ve always been afraid of public speaking, worried about being judged,” one student shares. “But debating taught me it’s not just about overcoming fear — it’s about rising to challenges and working under pressure.”
A Grade 8 newcomer marvels at representing Curro Delft “on such a large scale” so soon after arriving. “It truly means so much to me.”
What emerges from their voices is more powerful than any accolade: the transformation of uncertainty into confidence, silence into eloquence, isolation into community.
“There’s no prejudice or discrimination — it’s supportive and inclusive,” one learner reflects. “It’s beautiful.”
This is what education should look like. Not rote memorisation, but the cultivation of courage. Not passive absorption, but the active discovery of one’s voice — and the realisation that it matters.
As part of the Curro DigiEd Schools network, Curro Delft embodies this philosophy through its innovative, technology-rich approach to learning. With small class sizes, project-based learning focused on science, mathematics, and technology, and a commitment to developing 21st-century skills like collaboration and self-discipline, the school prepares learners for a digital future — while nurturing the kind of human insight that debating demands.
For the naturally loud, debating became a way to channel energy into pride and purpose. For the shy and uncertain, it became a revelation:
“I’ve also discovered new strengths within myself.”
Debating teaches what textbooks cannot: how to think critically under pressure, how to articulate complex ideas with clarity, how to listen before responding, how to disagree without demeaning. These are not just academic skills — they are the foundations of citizenship in a country that needs more thoughtful, articulate, courageous voices.
🎓 Ruan Beukes, Executive Head of Curro Delft High School, reflects:
“Our learners’ journey shows what becomes possible when they are given space to discover their voice and the courage to use it. In just over a year, they have grown from a small after-school group to the national stage. They have not simply mastered the rules of debating — they have learned something far more important: that their voices deserve to be heard.”
Read more school news here: https://schoolsthatrock.co.za/ https://curro.co.za
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