GDSS Karu Edges Grace High School in ‘I Beg To Differ’ Season 9 Semifinal

Government Day Secondary School, Karu, Abuja, has secured a place in the grand final of the I Beg to Differ Season 9 National Finals after edging out Grace High School, Lagos, in a closely contested first semifinal.

The debate, which focused on the motion “Fuel Subsidy Should Be Reinstated,” saw both schools present contrasting arguments on one of Nigeria’s most debated economic policies. 

GDSS argued in favour of a temporary and targeted return of fuel subsidy, saying the abrupt removal of the policy had placed severe pressure on Nigerians.

The Abuja school highlighted the sharp rise in petrol prices, increased transportation and food costs, and the decline in citizens’ purchasing power. 

The team also argued that alternatives such as Compressed Natural Gas buses were not yet sufficient to cushion the impact of subsidy removal on millions of Nigerians.

They proposed a temporary, targeted digital voucher subsidy, alongside greater fiscal support for local refineries, as a way of protecting vulnerable consumers while the country develops sustainable alternatives.

Grace High School opposed the motion, arguing that reinstating subsidy would return Nigeria to a system that placed a huge burden on public finances and created opportunities for corruption and fuel smuggling.

The Lagos team pointed to the ₦4.4 trillion spent on fuel subsidy in 2022, arguing that such resources could have been directed towards healthcare, education and infrastructure. 

It also maintained that savings from subsidy removal had helped increase allocations to states through the Federation Account Allocation Committee, while supporting investments in infrastructure and domestic refining.

The contest went down to the wire, with Government Day Secondary School scoring 76.5 points, narrowly ahead of Grace High School’s 75.8 points. 

Grace High School won the online audience vote with 54 percent, compared with GDSS Karu’s 46 percent, but the Abuja school’s stronger overall judges’ scores secured the victory.

Government Day will now proceed to the National Grand Final, where it will compete for the top prize of ₦5 million and high-end laptops.

Grace High School, meanwhile, will have another opportunity to finish on the podium as it moves into the third-place playoff.