The chair of the festival Prof Christopher Odhiambo admitted that schools without resources are disadvantaged.
A teacher from Embu County confirmed that only a few schools can afford to pay the trainers.
When Mukuuni Boys High School from Tharaka-Nithi County was pronounced the winner of the 2024 National Schools and Colleges Drama Festivals (play category) it took many drama enthusiasts by surprise. The school won the coveted prize at its first appearance at the national stage, upsetting the order of the annual event that has recently been dominated by a few schools and creative directors.
The announcement has since drawn mixed reactions, with some observers opining that some more spectacular productions deserved to win. However, the adjudicators decision emphasises a major point as pointed out by one of them, Simon Peter Otieno; a good storyline and good acting.
It was so simple to follow and the actors were so natural, said Dr Otieno.
The finals took place at Kangaru School and the University of Embu from April 8 to 14 2024 and the gala performances taking place on Monday and Tuesday. The State concert will be held at the Sagana State Lodge on Thursday.
I applaud the play written on banditry and tribal issues. The winning pieces worked within our expected spectacle. They were very simple and entertaining. It was so good on talent and simple to follow. Each action had a word. It wasnt dialogue alone, Evelyne Pwokah, another adjudicator said.
The first runner-up play, , by Friends School Kamusinga was equally strong on scripting, acting and direction with a creative yet simple set. It revolves around Stefano, a high school student who struggles to cope with his tyrannical fathers expectations on academic performance.
According to many theatre buffs and school administrators, the drama festival has, for some time, been taken over by commercialisation that locks out the majority of schools and learners from participating and created an elite club. Some schools invest heavily in the festival and use it as a marketing tool to attract more learners.
For instance, there were no day schools presenting a play at the festival despite the Ministry of Education data showing that about 75 per cent of learners in secondary attend day schools. The primary schools category was dominated by private schools, with only well-established public schools like Westlands Primary from Nairobi participating.
The cabinet secretary for Education Ezekiel Machogu said that more schools are expected to participate in the festival since it is part of the competency-based curriculum. He spoke while in Embu during the gala performance of the best items on Monday.
The chair of the festival Prof Christopher Odhiambo admitted that schools without resources are disadvantaged.
We give equal opportunity to all the schools to participate but some schools are more abled than others and they can hire trainers who help them with their performances. However, we hold workshops and we dont restrict the number of participating teacher trainers, he told Nation.
The trainers he was referring to, commonly known as mercenaries, within drama circles do not come cheap and have pushed the stakes high. Some schools are sponsored by political leaders and one was had its bills footed by a county government. It dropped off at the Eastern region festivals.
In addition to the scriptwriters and trainers, schools spend a fortune on costumes and backdrops to produce spectacles on stage. The term is used to refer to the gadgetry and razzmatazz on stage that is intended to mesmerise the audience. In a break from the recent past, it is noteworthy that the top items these year did not have outlandish spectacles on stage.
Dr Emmanuel Shikuku, a lecturer of theatre and film at Kenyatta University and a veteran of the festival told Nation that he is against the use of the non-teacher trainer, saying it negates the spirit of education in general and CBC in particular.
Teachers have abdicated their role. We wouldnt have this cut-throat competition if it was teacher-oriented. The consultants want to impress the principals whore their employers. This draws us from the co-function of drama as a cocurricular activity. Drama shouldnt just be for entertainment but a co-learning activity. You cant handle children if you dont know the psychology of children, he said.
He revealed that some of the mercenaries charge as much as one million shillings. They are paid half of the amount to take a team for region festival, more for participation and another portion for the national finals and more if they win. Dr Shikuku decried the lack of diversity in the items staged.
Its not good to see the same thing year
