The grand finale of School Teen 2025, now in its eighth season, became a stage for 17-year-old students to showcase their intellect, courage, confidence, and sharp debating skills. The program, broadcast on VTV7, is produced by the Department of Science and Education Programs at Vietnam Television (VTV) in collaboration with the British University Vietnam (BUV).
“Should competitive academic contests for students come to an end?” - that was the motion debated in the grand finale of School Teen 2025’s eighth season. A challenging and thought-provoking topic, it touched upon many social controversies surrounding competition in education. Yet, precisely because of its depth and sensitivity, the contestants’ passionate and articulate performances captivated the audience, earning continuous rounds of applause throughout the debate.
The two finalist teams come from Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted (Ho Chi Minh City) and Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted (Gia Lai)
“Debate to understand or to win?”
Right from the opening, Ngoc Minh, a student at Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted, calmly declared, “Between debating to understand and competing to win, we choose the former.” Her calm yet structured delivery set the tone for the Affirmative team’s argument. They expressed concerns about an education system that focuses too much on achievement. In this system “the measure of ability sometimes becomes a burden on the learner’s mind.”
Representing the opposition, Giap Linh from Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted (Gia Lai) countered with conviction: “If we don’t learn to compete in the safe space of education, how will we face challenges in real life?” The Opposition team repeatedly emphasized the concept of a “safe space” , serving as a gentle yet powerful reminder that competition is not merely about victory, but also about growth, facing pressure, accepting failure, and embracing differences.
“Pressure is like the ocean waves - if you know how to surf, you’ll move forward; if you avoid them, you’ll be swept away”
Huy Long from Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted (Gia Lai) delivered a memorable closing argument. Comparing academic pressure to waves at sea, he said: “If you know how to surf, you’ll move forward. If you avoid them, you’ll be swept away”. The metaphor moved both the audience and the judges. As Judge Trinh Le Anh noted, “That was a remarkably mature conclusion for a high school debate. It showed how deeply these students have reflected.”
The debate was so evenly matched that the judges struggled to determine the winner. Judge Nguyen Chi Hieu admitted, “In my six seasons of judging School Teen, this was the toughest decision because both teams demonstrated excellent argument structure, solid evidence, and captivating delivery.”
The panel of judges for the final round
Not just a competition, but a journey of growth
School Teen - the national debate program for high school students - has entered its eighth season, and its appeal shows no signs of fading. Thousands of students from all over the country have come to this stage to challenge themselves, hone their critical thinking, and - most importantly- voice their opinions on current social issues.
The most significant value of School Teen lies not in the trophies or scholarships, but in the journey that each student embarks on: a journey of practice, debate, listening, reasoning, and growing up.
In the end, Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted (Gia Lai) narrowly triumphed to become the 2025 School Teen Champion, earning the top prize: a 75% scholarship from the British University Vietnam (BUV).
The Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted (Ho Chi Minh City) team proudly takes the runner-up position of Season 8.
The team from Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted (Gia Lai) claims the championship title of Season 8.
The School Teen 2025 competition concluded with a well-deserved victory for the “lion-hearted warriors.” Each word spoken was more than just an argument; it was the dream of a new generation of Vietnamese students who dare to think, speak, and create change.
