Moot encourages public speaking among learners
Public speaking - the ability to speak well in front of a crowd in a commanding manner, as well as to communicate effectively - is a skill that is often taken for granted.
Then there is mooting, through which learners are capacitated on knowing how to actively engage in issues and improve their speaking, research, and writing skills.
Orate Africa Trust and Thobega Kagiso Attorneys have had a successful stint in these moot competitions, which were first held in 2020. The aim is to roll out the programme to most schools across the country.
Last year’s edition was sponsored by Lucara and had learners in the Boteti region showcasing and refining their speaking skills. The aim is to not only ensure that they go into the legal field but that they also know how to articulate issues on any platform.
The organisers indicated that mooting enables students to “engage with and think deeply about interesting and topical legal issues; enhance their advocacy, legal research, and writing skills; work closely with and learn from their peers; and to demonstrate their interest in advocacy and competence as an advocate to prospective employers.”
In the practical sense, a moot court competition simulates a court hearing, usually, an appeal against a final decision, in which the participants analyse a problem, then research the relevant law, and subsequently prepare written submissions before presenting an oral argument.
The procedure imitates the procedures that are followed in real courts: the judge enters; the mooters and the judge bow to each other, the clerk announces the matter, the mooters give their appearances and are then called on in turn to present their submissions.
Just like in the real court setting, the judge then asks questions of the mooters, the court adjourns, and the judge then returns to deliver a brief judgment and some feedback.
The moot competitions have been carried out in a fun way that encouraged young people to enjoy themselves, while also learning about key issues and how to improve their advocacy and communication skills.