Bedfordshire students will join forces with peers across the world to consider how fair the COVID-19 vaccine rollout has been globally.

The international debate competition will involve three Bedfordshire Schools Trust (BEST) academies - Samuel Whitbread, Etonbury and Robert Bloomfield - along with schools from Scotland, Zimbabwe and Nigeria.

The Comet: Debaters from Etonbury Academy in Stotfold will join with Samuel Whitbread and Robert Bloomfield students - as well as peers in Scotland, Nigeria and Zimbabwe tomorrow and next week to discuss the global COVID vaccine rolloutDebaters from Etonbury Academy in Stotfold will join with Samuel Whitbread and Robert Bloomfield students - as well as peers in Scotland, Nigeria and Zimbabwe tomorrow and next week to discuss the global COVID vaccine rollout (Image: BEST)

The debate is being organised in conjunction with the Fair Justice System for Scotland (FJSS) Group, and builds on a debate about slave trader statues the organisation and pupils from Samuel Whitbread and Robert Bloomfield staged earlier this year.

Samuel Whitbread history teacher Dr Julia Haynes, who is also history lead teacher and head of academics for BEST, said: “We are very excited to be working with the FJSS again on an even bigger and more ambitious debate competition.

The Comet: Debaters from Robert Bloomfield Academy in Shefford will join with Samuel Whitbread and Etonbury students - as well as peers in Scotland, Nigeria and Zimbabwe tomorrow and next week to discuss the global COVID vaccine rolloutDebaters from Robert Bloomfield Academy in Shefford will join with Samuel Whitbread and Etonbury students - as well as peers in Scotland, Nigeria and Zimbabwe tomorrow and next week to discuss the global COVID vaccine rollout (Image: BEST)

“This time, our theme is the very pertinent debate as to how fairly the COVID vaccine should be distributed globally, and we have a series of events organised.”

In the first round, taking place at 3.45pm tomorrow, each school will give a short presentation about the current vaccination situation in their country and locality.

This will be followed by two evenings of debates on November 22 and 23, before a final from 5pm on November 25.

The Comet: Debaters from Robert Bloomfield Academy in Shefford will join with Samuel Whitbread and Etonbury students - as well as peers in Scotland, Nigeria and Zimbabwe tomorrow and next week to discuss the global COVID vaccine rolloutDebaters from Robert Bloomfield Academy in Shefford will join with Samuel Whitbread and Etonbury students - as well as peers in Scotland, Nigeria and Zimbabwe tomorrow and next week to discuss the global COVID vaccine rollout (Image: BEST)

Dr Haynes added: “The first and last events are online and we welcome an audience to join us to learn more about the ways in which different countries and localities are fighting this pandemic and whether there should be a global solution to this problem.”

Those interested in watching the virtual debates can email jhaynes@bestacademies.org.uk for further information.