By Tawiah Mensah
“God holds the copyright, as the sole author of life,” says Dr Gift Gugu Mona, a South African poet and philosopher.
This quote highlights the importance of authors having full ownership of their creative works. It also reflects the mission of the Ghana Publishers Association (GPA), which is to protect and promote the interests of Ghanaian publishers by all lawful means.
In line with this mission, the GPA and Afram Publications Ghana Limited have partnered to involve the country’s future leaders, students from selected senior high schools, in the fight against copyright infringement.
Representatives from the selected schools will debate on copyright and two other topics during the 22nd Ghana International Book Fair (GIBF), scheduled for August 20–23, 2025, at the National Theatre in Accra.
This year’s fair is themed “Inclusive Publishing, Celebrating Accessible Literature.”
The participating schools in the 5th GPA–Afram Publications Inter-Schools’ Debate are: Tema, Okuapeman, Swedru, and Winneba Senior High Schools.
The objective of the debate is to offer five students from each of the four schools an opportunity to share practical ideas on addressing the pressing issues outlined in the selected topics.
It also seeks to develop their communication skills and provide a platform for knowledge exchange.
Professor Esi Sutherland-Addy, Board Chairperson of Afram Publications, explained:
“The idea is to nurture well-rounded individuals who are not only passing exams but are also interested in a wide range of issues and able to contribute to society. We want students to act based on strong ethical values, enjoy healthy competition, and learn to accept both victory and defeat.”
Debate Pairings and Topics
Following a fair balloting session on June 23, 2025, the schools were grouped into A and B.
Group A: Swedru SHS vs. Winneba SHS
These teams will debate the motion: “The devastating effect of illegal mining (galamsey) on the environment is due to the non-implementation of appropriate policies.”
Swedru SHS will argue against the motion, while Winneba SHS will argue for it.
Group B: Tema SHS vs. Okuapeman SHS
Their debate will focus on: “Indiscipline in schools is a result of deficiencies in the school curriculum.”
The winners of each group will then meet in the final to debate the topic:
“The publishing industry has been adversely affected by the lack of copyright enforcement: Are authors and publishers deserving of copyright protection?”
The students appeared excited about the challenge during the balloting event.
Ms. Harriet Adelaide Tagoe, Managing Director of Afram Publications, said:
“We believe the topics selected will influence decision-making. As John F. Kennedy once said, without debate and criticism, no administration or country can succeed.”
She encouraged all schools to prepare thoroughly for what promises to be a “thought-provoking and interesting” debate.
Prizes and Motivation
Awards up for grabs include plaques, books, writing and reading workshops, and desktop computers.
Prof. Sutherland-Addy added:
“We’ll continue to encourage schools and student-led clubs to build debating skills. Debating helps students research, analyze, develop arguments, work in teams, and engage in healthy competition.”
Mr. Asare Konadu Yamoah, Chairman of the GIBF Planning Committee and President of the GPA, praised Afram Publications for sponsoring the debate. He also urged participating schools to involve their alumni to ensure a successful programme.
Conclusion
With August 20 less than two months away, the stage is set for a competitive intellectual showdown. The student debaters are expected to present strong arguments that address copyright infringement, illegal mining, and indiscipline in schools.
As expectations rise, the winning team will be the one that not only argues well but proposes real solutions.
May the best school win.
