Abia State, under the leadership of His Excellency, Dr. Alex C. Otti, OFR, has continued to place Abia and Nigeria on the global map of heart-warming excellence as Team Abia, representing Nigeria, emerged Overall Champions at the 2026 International Schools Debate Championship in Doha, Qatar.
The Abia contingent, made up of students from public schools, shone like stars as they won four major trophies and 12 laurels, defeating six countries to clinch the biggest prize of the tournament – Best International School Debate Team.
The 2026 edition, coordinated by Vocara Institute and hosted by the prestigious QatarDebate Centre at Georgetown University, Doha, brought together over 84 groups from 8 countries. The QatarDebate Centre, founded by Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development in 2008, is Qatar’s national debating organization and one of the world’s leading debate institutions.
Team Nigeria, presented by the Presidential School Debate Nigeria and fully represented by Abia public school students, competed against Jordan, India, Qatar, the Philippines, Kenya, and others.
The Abia team, led by the Executive Chairman, Abia State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB), Mrs. Lydia Onuoha, and representatives of the Presidency, Presidential School Debate Nigeria, comprised the following students:
After scaling through the preliminary rounds, defeating students from the Philippines, Jordan, India and Qatar to reach the finals, it became clear that they were spurred by the support and solidarity from home to make Abia, Nigeria, and of course, their education-loving Governor proud, as they won the following:
– Best International School Debate Team – The Biggest Award of the Tournament
– Overall Best Team – Junior Category
– Best Leadership Award
– Best Debater Award
– 12 Laurels for outstanding performance
This historic victory is not accidental. It is the direct outcome of Governor Otti’s education revolution – a deliberate, well-funded and compassionate reform of Abia’s public school system.
When this administration came on board, it met a collapsed education sector defined by dilapidated and deserted schools,and demoralized teachers owed many months of salary arrears.
Governor Otti has changed the story with decisive actions which include:
1. Introduction of Free and Compulsory Education: By making basic education free and compulsory in all public primary and junior secondary schools, the government removed the financial barrier that kept thousands of children out of school and restored enrolment and dignity to public education.
2. Employment of Thousands of New Teachers: The administration has employed about 10,000 new teachers to fill critical gaps, reduce the teacher-pupil ratio, and bring fresh energy and competence into classrooms.
3. Continuous Training and Retraining of Teachers: The government has institutionalized regular capacity-building, training and retraining programmes to equip teachers with modern pedagogical skills and global best practices.
4. Unmatched Welfare Package:* Payment of years of salary arrears, prompt payment of salaries on or before the 28th of every month, extension of teachers’ retirement age, among other incentives.
Before now, public schools in Abia were the last resort. Today, they are producing global champions who have beaten private-school students from Asia and the Middle East to win a world trophy for Nigeria.
Abia has not yet reached its target destination; however, Governor Alex Otti’s promise to rebuild Abia through education is yielding positive results. These children who conquered the world in Doha are living proof that when you invest in people, the world will notice.
