Five school students from Bermuda will learn today if they have reached the final of the World Schools Debate Championship in South Africa.

The team takes on Pakistan in the final 16-team knockout in Johannesburg after finishing 13th out of 32 nations.

Along the way, the quick-thinking team have trounced comparative giants the United States, the Czech Republic, Indonesia, Germany, and Portugal.

Today, they hope to impress the judges in a bid to ease their way to the finals held tomorrow.

Bermuda Debates Society President John Barritt said last night he was delighted with the progress of the team - Jonathan Suter and Christine Mayor of Warwick Academy, Zahra Muhammad of CedarBridge Academy, and Aziz Ahad and Christie Hunter of Bermuda High School for Girls.

The team has had five wins and three losses, and won over 15 judges out of 24.

Mr. Barritt, the UBP shadow legislative affairs minister, said: "They have done really well and brought credit to their head coach Gladstone Thompson (the principal of Southampton Glebe), and coach Linda Parker who has been involved in their training.

"Their biggest victory was 3-0 over the United States, which is quite an achievement.

"The reports I'm getting back are that Christine Mayor the captain has put in some outstanding performances.''