Schools Question Time

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Schools can now apply to take part in this year's Question Time Challenge, which is to run again for a sixth time, in the academic year 2008-9.

<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_7500000/newsid_7501200?redirect=7501243.stm&news=1&nbwm=1&bbram=1&nbram=1&bbwm=1" onclick="javascript:newsi.utils.av.launch({el:this});return false;">The 2008 edition</a> The challenge gives students aged 14 to 18 the chance to run a Question Time-style event in their own school and ultimately win one of a number of places working alongside the chairman, David Dimbleby, and the Question Time production team next summer.

Eight student producers will help make a special youth edition of the programme to be broadcast on BBC One on 9 July 2009.

<a class="inlineText" href="http://www.schoolsquestiontime.org/">Read more about the application process</a>

The closing date for applications is 9 January 2009.

Political literacy

The schools challenge is a three-stage process and the Schools Question Time programme is the final product of a far wider education initiative.

The broader aim is to help schools nationwide by supporting the citizenship curriculum, helping improve students' public speaking and listening skills, and engaging young people in society and politics.

"We can't expect young people to participate in society unless we're serious about listening to their views," says Question Time presenter David Dimbleby. "We know that young people are passionate about the issues that affect their lives and the Schools Question Time Challenge gives them an opportunity to question those who make the decisions."

The initiative in active citizenship is supported by Parliament's Education Service, the Institute for Citizenship and the BBC.

Initially schools will be invited to register for a free online education resource pack to support directly the teaching of citizenship and political literacy for secondary school pupils in the classroom.

Make a difference

Curriculum based work sheets based on speaking and listening, enquiry and debate, teamwork and critical self-analysis form the basis of the pack.

The resource pack also provides guidance for taking part in the second part of the challenge in which schools are invited to stage their own debates based upon the popular BBC One Question Time format.

Judges will select 10 regional winners and assess the schools as they produce their own Question Time events.

Four winning schools from across the UK are then selected to nominate two pupils each to join the team producing the Schools Question Time programme in July 2009.

Alongside the Question Time production team, these eight students will be responsible for making key editorial decisions as well as taking on production roles such as editor, audience producers, panel producers and online producer.