Teen School is a debate program for high school students produced by VTV7 - Vietnam Television and Vietnam National University (BUV). The two teams from Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted (Gia Lai) and Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted (HCMC) brought an intellectual dialogue, where students spoke and adults truly listened.
Two opposing perspectives on competition
The proposal of the match "Competitive competitions for students need to end" touches the current experience of students, between scoring pressure and the desire to assert themselves.
Standing on the Team's stance that school competition has now crossed the healthy line. All arguments show that studying is turned into an achievement race, where each failure makes students feel inferior. Adults can consider failure in an exam as a small matter, but for students when studying is the center of life sometimes that failure makes them feel like they have lost the world, contestant Gia Nguyen of Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted Ho Chi Minh City said from his own experience.
The advocacy team argues that competition too early can cause students to lose the joy of learning, turning learning into an endless race, and that education should focus on cooperation rather than comparison.
Another member of the team emphasized: "We cannot take the experience of adults to apply to the student life gap. At this age, what they need is to be discovered, not to be forced to prove anything".
In response, the team opposing the proposal (Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted - Gia Lai) gave a close but sharp view: competition is a condition for students to mature. Competition is the premise for building a learning and inspirational movement. Even individual competitions like Road to Olympia have formed a sustainable academic community where young people study together, practice together and progress together.
I further evidence that national excellent student communities, scientific and technical creativity or solving business situations all originate from a healthy competitive spirit. "Without these competitions, many cooperative relationships and inspiring learning groups could not even exist."
This view was approved by the Jury because it showed that competition is not necessarily confrontation, but can be a foundation for connection and development together.
The fair dialogue of Gen Z
In the final match, students of Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted in Ho Chi Minh City conquered viewers with empathy and soft reasoning, while Le Quy Don's team scored points with confident demeanor and practical evidence.
Two lines of argument one towards affection and school psychology, one towards reason and social experience create a rare balance in the debate playground for students.
The final result was that Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted (Gia Lai) won, but most of the audience agreed that both teams were worthy, because they proved that Vietnamese students were completely capable of analyzing, dialogue and criticizing their own problems in a civilized and profound way.
The eight-year journey spreads the spirit of debate
After 8 seasons of broadcasting, Teen School of National Education channel VTV7 - Vietnam Television is not only an educational TV show, but a forum where students can speak the true voice of their generation.
In the 2025 season, the program will innovate format, enhance audience interaction and be accompanied by the University of British Vietnam (BUV) with a scholarship of 75% worth 750 million VND for the Champion team - a meaningful way to show gratitude for the intelligence and efforts of the school year.
Some photos of the Teen School Final 2025:
