The New Zealand Schools' Debating Council is excited to announce Symbai as the proud sponsor of the Grand Final of the 2026 New Zealand Schools' Debating Championships.
Held annually since 1988, the New Zealand Schools' Debating Championships bring together the best young debaters from across Aotearoa, challenging them to sharpen their critical thinking, construct rigorous arguments, and engage seriously with the issues facing our world.
Symbai's mission aligns closely with what the NZSDC has always stood for. Built by educators, Symbai is an AI-powered debate and argument-mapping platform where students build and test arguments visually, debating an AI opponent while constructing claims, evidence, and rebuttal.
This allows schools to expand access to high-quality debate practice where programmes don’t yet exist, while also supporting established teams by reducing time spent on repetitive prep and feedback, so coaches can focus on strategy, adjudication, and high-level development.
Symbai believes that critical thinking should be taught with the same rigour and consistency as literacy and numeracy, and that debating is one of the most powerful frameworks for getting there.
We look forward to working with Symbai to grow schools' debating in Aotearoa and to ensure that more students experience the extraordinary value of debating. The Grand Finals will be held in the Legislative Council Chamber at Parliament on 25 May 2026.