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President Jacob Zuma is highly impressed by the interest of school children in the State of the Nation Address to be delivered in Parliament on the 11th of February 2010.

The Department of Basic Education, GCIS and Sanlam have been running a national schools debate on the SONA. To date, 266 learners participated from 30 districts with over 30 events having been completed. The theme guiding discussions were: "Young people can play a key role in reducing poverty and building a better South Africa".

The national competition and finals will take place in Cape Town during the SONA week 7-11 February 2010. The finalists of the national competition will meet the President on the 10th of February.

Issues raised by learners included the suggestions that the government should make available funds to schools to have community gardens as this will assist in the fight against poverty and contribute to rural development. It will also assist in reducing the load on the government's feeding scheme programme.

Some pupils argued that as a means of crime prevention, government should capacitate young pupils to become whistle blowers on crime without putting themselves in danger. Others recommended that buying alcohol should be restricted to people over the age of 21. This can be easily done, they argued, by passing a law that forces all outlets selling liquor to request an identity document before selling liquor.

"We changed the State of the Nation Address to be delivered in the evening because we are so impressed by our young people and their interest in national and current affairs. This debate has shown that young people feel they can play a very positive role, yet see themselves in need of more information from government and found the schools debate to be a very useful platform for this'', said President Zuma.

The first national round will see all nine provincial representatives' debating on 09th February 2010. The topic guiding the debate will be: "South Africa's educational policies and systems developed since 1994 are geared towards significantly reducing the country's skills shortages in order to meet social and economic needs".

This will take place on the 9th of February between 09:30 and 12:30 at the CR Louw Auditorium, Sanlam Head Office no 2 Strand Street, Bellville, Cape Town.

Three winners will be selected and will debate on the 10th Feb to determine the overall winner and two runner ups. This will be followed by a prize giving ceremony to be hosted by Minster Collins Chabane, the Minister in the Presidency and Dr. Johan van Zyl - Sanlam Ltd Group Chief Executive. This event will take place at the Auditorium, 7th Floor, Provincial Legislature Building, No.7 Wale Street, Cape Town.