THE FOURTH HEAT of the second round of The Courier/Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland Junior Schools Debating Competition was held last night at Woodmill High School in Dunfermline.

The motion was “This house would remove restrictions on child labour to promote development in the third world.”

Speaking in favour of international labour reform were Pim Hannay and Katie Coventry of Glenalmond College, Rebecca Ostocke and Alasdair Drennan of Dunfermline High School, and Melissa Mowat and Callum Haig of Wallace High School.

Arguing restrictions are essential were Sarah-Jane Dale and Kerry Gentle of Woodmill High School, Elidh Glassey and Grace Rome of Grove Academy, and Rona Leese and Liusaidh McClymont of Dundee High School.

The proposition argued child labour provides important manpower essential to economic development, but the opposition said children have a right to education, while health problems in children have long-term implications for countries.

The speaker was Ramin Lolachi of St Andrews University Union’s debating society.

The judges were Ann Jakeman and Ashleigh Edmiston, both of the Chartered Institute of Bankers Scotland, Jason Vit and Stuart Paterson of the St Andrews University Union’s debating society, and Ewan MacDonald, the tournament convener.

The motion was defeated by 18 votes to 12, with one abstention.

The teams chosen to go forward to the semi-final were Dunfermline and Woodmill high schools.