By GEORGE ORIDO
Pupils want teachers to give them opportunity to elect school prefects. This way, they argue, they would channel their issues better to teachers and help resolve challenges.
St Augustine’s Preparatory School, from Tudor, Mombasa, sent this message through their dance, Karembo, directed by the school’s head teacher, Sarah Kessi.
Filled with beautifully choreographed movement, the dance depicts a head boy (Kevin Juma) whose selection by the teachers proves to be a hurdle in the welfare of his colleagues. He is not only dictatorial but is also involved in breaking the very same laws and school regulations he is assigned to protect.
Infusing drama in the dance steps and formations, the pupils raise their concern with the teachers (Rukia Mwalimu and Precious Obinjo) and they are allowed to choose a head pupil.
In a tightly contested poll a new head girl (Harriet Kulivuka) is appointed. During her reign the children are allowed to engage in co-curricula activities and with hard work in class the school emerges tops in the national exams.
From the Sugar Belt, Booker Academy presented Our Daily Bread. The play depicts an orphan, Viola, whose rights to education and play are violated by a wicked aunt who not only mistreats her, but also sends her to an orphanage where children are abused.
Children at the orphanage are forced to work for so many hours in the bakery, and they are denied even food as they are fed on expired bread. "We are not eating because the bread you have given us is stale and we are having running stomachs," say the children after declining a meal.
Our Daily Bread is a story that lifts the lid on mushrooming orphanages in the country that have no basic amenities to accommodate and take care of hapless children. Migori Primary School presented a dance, Somo, which highlights the plight of pupils in primary schools.
The play particularly focuses on the contentious issue of public versus private schools and how bright children are denied national school chances just because they attended private schools.
But the dance full of balance also cries for bright children in public schools with little attention from teachers and minimal facilities competing with well-oiled systems in private ones. Makueni school from Eastern moved the audience with their play, The Birthday Party.
Personal gains
The play depicts leaders who are responsible for chaos for their own personal gains as they hoodwink jobless youth to take up arms against one another. Samantha, who is the leader’s daughter in the play, is a victim of his father’s uncouth political machinations and is forced to seek for mercy at his birthday party when confronted by eyewitnesses. But the day’s tempo was raised by a charged cast of Laiser Hill Academy from Rift Valley, who presented a play, The El-Classico.
In a simple but flawless storyline, El-Classico is an allegory that hints at challenges around cohesion and national unity that has faced the country in recent times. Produced by Mr Anthony Kirimi, the play has spare but functional props and costumes as well as rich suspense that kept the audience on the edge of their seats. The play has given previous presentations a run for their money as the national contest heads to day five Saturday.
