OUR STORY

Every debater you meet will likely have a story of their own to share. It usually begins with a casual interest.

The interest soon turns into a regular hobby, and then it progresses to an exciting adventure before finally becoming a lifelong passion.

Why is it that many debaters share a similar tale? It is simple - because debating is a skill that expands your horizons far beyond what you thought possible, and it keeps growing with you.

What sets the debaters apart in their journey is what they choose to do with those skills. Most people will leave the world of competitive debating once they enter adulthood. They then continue using their skills to adapt and excel in a myriad of diverse industries.

Our founders have instead chosen the path less taken, to actively share their decades of unique experiences and hard-earned wealth of knowledge with the next generation

Their mission remains to educate our youth about the issues of the world, while developing their ability to think critically and speak persuasively. Our founders' journeys while growing up in the debate circuit chronicles the challenges faced by our youth when it comes to developing their abilities in this art.

They each struggled with the lack of resources and opportunities that were reserved for those who had already established themselves in the circuit from a young age. This meant that those who were already good would keep getting better while the rest were left behind.

This harsh reality was the first major obstacle in their debating journeys. Luckily for their students who would benefit later on in their lives, they chose to grit their teeth and work their way up independently.

They broke down barriers in the debate scene as they successfully

Their mission remains to educate our youth about the issues of the world

Alfred and Reuben as the 2013 Champions of the National University of Malaysia Inter Varsity Debate Championship

Alfred and Reuben emerging the 1st Runners- Up of the Taylor's College Debate Open 2013

held their own against debaters in the university circuit who had been debating for far longer. Recognised locally for their abilities and achievements, they also gained global repute and were invited to coach internationally, and to judge tournaments both in Singapore and overseas.

At one of these tournaments, Alfred and Reuben finally met, and they became fast friends. Over many late night suppers after a long day of competing, they would share heartfelt conversations on their journeys past and their hopes for the future. They discovered their common vision for debating to become an accessible skill for all.

As they were both coaching schools in competitive debating, they frequently had long spirited discussions on case preparation, motion analysis, and debating strategies. The result of which was their schools going from newcomers to dominating the national championships. Acknowledging their rare dynamic, they began their first partnership with a blog called 'Eh Priori' that shared free debating resources.

The blog gained international popularity for its candid takes on issues that offered useful perspectives and information for fledgling debaters. They agreed that this was a positive sign for a more sustainable venture.

They hunkered down to work on their very first iteration of a collective of coaching strategies, which would later form the basis of their coaching pedagogy and core curriculum.

With that first collective in the bag, their second partnership to provide sp yo eec uth h and was f deb inall a y te b coa orn chin as g T t h o e

Rhetoric Collective.

In 2020, The Rhetoric Collective moved from their first premises in Chinatown to a bigger space on the third floor of 35 Kreta Ayer (pictured) with classrooms for in-person workshops and training.