Zone-A colleges will compete in a speech contest at the TATTE Building today with the competition to revolve around the theme ‘climate change'.

Local company Business System Limited (B.S.L) handed over their sponsorship of the event to the Zone-A competition management on Wednesday. 

President of the Principals’ Association, Lesaisaea Matafeo Reupena, said the rationale behind their selection of climate change as the topic is because it carries about 60 per cent of the learning outcomes under the environment strand, and they believe the best way to learn about climate change is through a competition like this. 

“The discussion tomorrow (Thursday) at the competition is important for science, art, commerce, vocational and applied science and art students,” he said.

“So after the competition, the students will be able to expose learning and one thing for sure is the Samoa Secondary Certificate and S.S.L.C 2019 will surely have most of the questions in the learning outcomes for the competition.”

Climate Change Advisor at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (S.P.R.E.P), Espen Ronneberg, said the competition is a perfect opportunity to hear youth’s voices on climate change issues and concerns.

“I think it’s very important to hear from the youth and to hear what they are most concerned about when it comes to climate change and to also understand what they’re learning about climate change and its impact,” he said.

“Because as a person working at S.P.R.E.P. I’ve been well versed in the impact and causes of climate change but at the same time we’re also engaged in implementing a number of projects in communities around the Pacific including Samoa.”

He added that it’s important for them to understand how different groups within the communities and societies are reacting the information and how they are absorbing the information.

S.P.R.E.P will also look back at all the climate change projects that have been implemented in the Pacific including in Samoa as well as their impact.

This will also help them change or modify their public awareness programs, in case there are certain pieces of information that haven’t made it through to the youth of these countries.

This will be the first time for the S.P.R.E.P to be part of the judging of the competition which is sponsored by the B.S.L.