Uniting African schools, one debate at a time.
2026 Pan-African Debating Championship
Our debate championships challenge school debaters to think critically and celebrate the diversity of our continent.
📅 1-3 May 2026
🗺️ Reddam House Bedfordview, Johannesburg🎓 Grades 8 to A-Levels
Overview
The Championship Experience
It’s about growth, leadership, and lasting connections.
Join a Diverse African Community
Celebrate the diversity of Africa. Build friendships and connections with students from South Africa, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Angola, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique, and other nations.
One Community, Two Divisions
- Group A — Grade 10+
- Group B — Grade 8–9
Multiple teams may be entered per division. A team may consist of 3-5 members.
Adjudication Training
We will guide all educators through the adjudication process, ensuring a standard set of rules is applied across the competition. This will enhance also the educator’s ability to coach their students.
5 Rounds of Competition
All teams will compete in a minimum of 5 rounds of debate.
Our Pan-African Community
Over 20 schools have competed at the NDL's Pan-African Championship. The NDL at large has over 200 member schools.
Al Nur School
Gaborone, Botswana
Aurora Colégio Internacional
Luanda, Angola
Colegio Angolano de Talatona
Luanda, Angola
Crawford International Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Durban Girls' College
Durban, South Africa
International School of Kigali
Kigali, Rwanda
Kensington Secondary School
Johannesburg, South Africa
Kitengela International School
Kitengela, Kenya
Light Academy Secondary School
Kampala, Uganda
Lycée Français Alioune Blondin Beye à Luanda
Luanda, Angola
Mokopane English Combined School
Mokopane, South Africa
Myngenoegen English Private School
Polokwane, South Africa
Norman Henshilwood High School
Cape Town, South Africa
Nova Pione er Boys High School - Eldoret Campus
Eldoret, Kenya
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Nova Pioneer Boys High School - Tatu City Campus
Tatu City, Kenya
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Nova Pioneer Girls High School - Eldoret Campus
Eldoret, Kenya
Rhodes Park School
Lusaka, Zambia
Riara Springs Girls High School
Nairobi, Kenya
Roedean School (SA)
Johannesburg, South Africa
Rondebosch Boys' High School
Cape Town, South Africa
Rustenburg Girls' High School
Cape Town, South Africa
St George's Diocesan School
Windhoek, Namibia
St Ignatius College
Lusaka, Zambia
UWC East Africa
Arusha, Tanzania
Official Hotel (Included in Registration)
Holiday Inn Sunnyside Park, Johannesburg
Participants will stay at the Holiday Inn Sunnyside Park. This was also our official hotel for the 2024 Pan-African Debating Championship. This is a 4 star hotel and a recognised as a Heritage site, with national monument status. The surrounding residential areas are filled with Heritage homes and include numerous Herbert Baker designed homes.
The NDL will run daily shuttles between this hotel and Reddam House Bedfordview.
- Booking dates
- Check-in on 30 April 2026 from 2:00pm.
- Checkout is on 4 May 2026 at 10:00am.
- Additional hotel nights before or after the event can be booked through the NDL.
- Included in Bookings
- A buffet breakfast, WiFi, Gym Access
- Property Rating
- 4 Stars (Rated by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa)
Registration Information
Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Reach out to our thishin@ndl.org.za.
- What is included in the registration fee?
- ✅ Participation
- ✅ Accommodation at the Holiday Inn Sunnyside Park
- ✅ Airport Shuttles (We suggest using EZ-Shuttle)
- ✅ All meals starting with dinner on 30 April and ending with breakfast on 4 May
- ✅ Shuttles between the official hotel and school on competition days
- ✅ Tournament merchandise
- ✅ Training Resources
- ✅ Access to event socials
- What is excluded?
- ❌ Transportation to Johannesburg (flights, busses, etc)
- ℹ️ The NDL is able to arrange flights on behalf of your school. This will be charged for separately.
- Registration Fees
- The registration fee depends on the type of hotels required. Your school is able to choose the option that best suites the needs of your students and teachers.
- When individuals share (two beds to a room), the fee is ZAR 9,950 (approx USD 585) per person (student, teacher, etc)
- For single-occupancy rooms (1 person to a room), the fee is ZAR 12,950 (approx USD 760) per person (student, teacher, etc)
- Do you have an odd number of boys or girls? We can arrange for a student to share with someone from another school. This lets you benefit from the more affordable sharing registration fee even when you have an odd number of students.
- How do we register?
- Go to https://admin.ndl.org.za/register to sign up. The registration platform will require you to create an account and verify your email address.
Testimonials regarding NDL events
Participating in this made me get out of my comfort zone and challenge myself but it also helped me improve many skills such as public speaking, convincing an audience with strong points to enhance my idea and motion, thinking and working fast and under pressure... I discovered something that I did not know I enjoyed until then and it gave me the opportunity to be around people my age with similar interests, and have a good time with friends while learning.
Ayisha Adriano, Maputo
Debating has shown me that there isn't a direct answer to a problem. You have to think carefully about how you answer and how you can persuade people to believe what you say.
Adam Roussou, Cape Town
The children thoroughly enjoyed the tournaments, where they had the opportunity to meet peers and teachers from other schools. The diverse and engaging topics encouraged them to deepen their general knowledge and think critically about various issues. Through debating, they developed important skills such as public speaking, critical thinking, and teamwork.
Aqeela Ahmed, Johannesburg