Kwara State has recorded a historic milestone by emerging as the overall winner of the 2025 President’s Senior School Debate Competition, marking the first time the state has clinched the coveted national title.

The 26th edition of the debate, held from June 24 to 27, 2025, in Abeokuta, Ogun State, brought together top-performing schools from across the country, with Kwara’s team outperforming their counterparts in multiple rounds, including Rivers State, which was eliminated in the final stage of the competition.

Receiving the victorious team in his office on Friday, the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe attributed the landmark achievement to the current administration’s commitment to education reforms and improved teacher welfare.

“The current administration, under the leadership of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (CON), has prioritised the total transformation of public education in Kwara. This victory is a clear sign that those efforts are yielding positive results,” Olohungbebe said.

The commissioner, who described the win as a collective success, extended gratitude to the teachers, school principals, coaches, the management team of the ministry, and other stakeholders who contributed to the team’s preparation and performance.

“This is a victory not just for the students, but for everyone who has played a role in the growth of education in our state. We deeply appreciate the dedication and resilience of our teachers. Their hard work made this achievement possible,” he noted.

Olohungbebe also encouraged the students to remain focused and continue striving for excellence, describing them as worthy ambassadors of the state.

The winning team, led by a teacher, Babatunde Amina Idowu, comprises Moshood Kamaldeen (Government Secondary School, Ilorin), AbdulAzeez Aishat (Nawarudeen Secondary School, Offa),
AbdulAzeez Mutasir (St. Anthony Secondary School, Ilorin), and Usman Maryam Enyo (Ilorin Grammar School, Ilorin).