Teachers and parents have been lauded for the work they are doing to ensure the success of the new Competency Based Curriculum (CBC).
Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development chief executive Prof Charles Ong'ondo said that the performances by students at the Kenya Music Festival was a clear manifestation that the curriculum was successfully turning toward competency of the learners.
The festival taking place in Nyeri, has over 600 Classes or categories, most of which is dedicated for poetry, music and dance that depicts how best learners are integrating competency and messages of citizenship in the items.
"One of the core-competencies is citizenship because young people have to understand their roles in the nation as good citizens and I am pleased by the way performances have rendered the theme this morning," Prof Ongondo said.
He noted that the KMF is the best laboratory where every learner's talent is tapped, nurtured and foreseeing what the future portends to learners.
Creativity, imagination, critical thinking and problem solving has been demonstrated in the performances according to Prof Ong'ondo
He said who has been involved in the festival was an adjudicator and a trainer from Moi University before being tapped to head the KICD.
Prof Ong'ondo noted that it was satisfying to learn that a good number of students at the festival did compose their own music and poetry.
This is a deviation from the past where students depended solely on trainers and teachers fro content creation.
In some of the classes students were seen conduction fellowstudnets as they presented music on the national stage.
The national Chairman of the KMF Prof Frederick Ngala appreciated the support of KICD, including printing of communication material, live and repository recording of the items, cash subsidies for adjudicator's allowances and actually presing a choir at the fete in the Institutions' Class.
"We have just watched KICD Choir perform today in an amazing rendition conducted by Glroia Sungu and that performance was top notch," said Prof Ngala who assumed the chairmanship of the fete this year.
The song is depicting a World that is facing many challenges including global warming, pandemics, socio-economic instability and it is calling upon humans to seek divine intervention even as they apply their own talents in an endeavour to overcome the ever unending hurdles of life.
It is a Girima traditional folk song with spiritual lyrics performed during calamities and when the world seems to be hopeless, in a bid to gain strength and trudge on with life.
Prof Ngala noted that the festival has fully recovered from the effects of Covid-19 and was pleased by the enthusiasm and dedication of students from all walks of life and every corner of the country.
Elsewhere in the festival at Hall One and Two teams battled it out in amazing fanfare as they presented Pokot Traditional Folk dances with St Joseph's Mutitio Boys Dandora Greenlight, Asitong Secondary School, uhuru Girls Lokichar MitritininGirls, Nyangum School as well as Mt kenya University presented songs in celebration of good harvest, wedding ceremonies and good tidings.
Soloits Daniel Chepkemoi, Samuel Poghisio, Benta Ewoi, Evelyne Kadidde and Gabriel Onyango led well ther respective troupes in sending the message home.
"I am pleased with the way we performed and it is a great honour for me to present before the whole country as we parsie the Ostrich," said BentaEwoi from Uhuru Girls Lokichar who had a colourful costume of earth brown with rainbow necklace and Ostrich headgear to match.
And the Somali, Boran as well as Oromo cultural sources graced the stage with schools such as Dakor Mariakani, St Dominic Njengu, Baba Dogo High presenting.
Baba Dogo High School presented a Burji Dance by boys and girls during a marriage ceremony as North Horr high presented and Awayu Dance in praise of their way of life; "Our culture, our way, our life" so went the song.
Marindi High School presented a Borana dance entertaining the bride upon her wedding.
Other teams on stage included Kipkelion Girls, Akithi Girls, Hirimani Secondary, Enyapora Secondary, St Francis of Asisi, Kangaru School, Ipolei Day Mixed, Dede Secondary, Furaha Cimmuty Machakos and Our Lady of Fatima Mixed Nairobi.
