About Us

Debates at ISB follow the World Schools Format, a form of parliamentary-style debating. Under this format, there are three speakers on each team. The teams receive three eight-minute long speeches and a four-minute long reply speech, which occurs at the end, each. In every debate, each speaker must deliver at least one speech, with each team selecting one speaker to address the house a second time with a reply speech at the end of the debate.

Below is the speaking order (all eight-minutes in length, unless otherwise stated):

1. First speaker of the Proposition

2. First speaker of the Opposition

3. Second speaker of the Proposition

4. Second speaker of the Opposition

5. Third speaker of the Proposition

6. Third speaker of the Opposition

7. Reply speaker of the Opposition (four-minutes)

8. Reply speaker of the Proposition (four-minutes)

More detailed information can be found in the slideshow below:

ISB's Debate Society is intertwined with the school's Debate Team; however, they are technically two separate bodies. Nonetheless, there is quite a large overlap between the two. For example, the Co-Presidents of the Debate Society are also always, by convention, the captains of the team, and all team members in the past had been members of the society prior to being selected for the team.

All students have the chance represent ISB at local and international competitions. Under normal circumstances (i.e. without travel restrictions), our eight delegates travel to compete at schools all across Southeast Asia. This is a great opportunity to travel to new places, meet new people and learn to see the world from different perspectives.

The Debate Society is a student-run and student-led organisation at ISB. Its leadership conventionally consists of co-presidents who lead the society's meetings and events, as well as determine its overall direction. Their decisions are informed through regular discussions with supervisors and the membership.