Calls for creativity and sports at music fete

Calls for teachers to promote creativity and sports in class dominated final day of Kenya Music Festivals in Eldoret.

The festival came to a close on Tuesday after 12 days of thrilling performances. At least 25 schools that emerged top in their classes will participate in a national state concert scheduled for Friday.

Students used performance at the Moi Girls Eldoret to deliver powerful messages to society and government. From patriotism to unity and to love and responsible behaviours, learners spoke to society in the most subtle way.

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The Ministry of Education seized the opportunity in the gala to call for mainstreaming of creativity and sports in schools. Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang said creativity and sports were part of the new Competency-Based Curriculum and should be taught in schools.

Dr Belio said creativity and sports will soon be part of learning assessment. “We need to make creatives and sports part of building the portfolio of our children,” the PS said while representing Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba during the gala-cum official closing ceremony.

He said creative and sports were central in CBC and should be considered as practical aspects of learning.

He said teachers guiding creative and sports talents are set to be promoted and rewarded because of their contributions to co-curricular activities. He said the organisers prioritised inclusivity by incorporating children with special needs in various categories.

Education CS Julius Ogamba said in a speech read on his behalf by Dr Belio that the national music festivals lived up to its billing.

More than 130,000 learners participated in the nationals while 3 million others competed at the sub-county, county and regional levels.

“Our festival is preparing these learners for the real world of music and our musicians are already utilising these platforms to earn an income,” Ogamba said in his speech.

He added: “The government has provided an opportunity and a home for all creatives and several artists are exploring the opportunity to make a living. This is not just entertainment for the sake of it, the arts for art's sake scenario. We are focused on seeing our artists make money.”

The CS said some students were already earning out of their talents. He said Sh400m was set aside to support co-curricular activities. “The President has directed that the Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund should support artists and sportsmen undertaking co-curricular activities,” he said. 

And as the 96th edition of the Kenya Music festival came to a close yesterday, organisers and teachers observed very high standards in the over 660 categories including elocution music and dance. 

Speaking on Tuesday at the award ceremony, the national chairman Frederick Ndala while complimenting the high number of turn out, gave a sorry state on gender parity with only 38,746 males out of the 130,000 participants.

This amounts to a ration of over 2 females for every one male participant. “We had an increase of 15 universities up from six that participated last year and this is a good thing,” said Prof Ngala who noted among them Kenyatta University, Kabarak University, University of Nairobi, Daystar University, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University, Masinde Muliro University among others.

He disclosed that 7,946 among them 3,447 female trainers who with students used 3,209 buses to get ferried to the iconic Moi Girls High School Eldoret.

Equity Bank announced a Sh100 million support for the festival spread over the next four years. “When I look back at how I participated in drama and music festivals, there’s no doubt this had a major impact informing my character and determination to succeed given I was raised by an unemployed single mother,” said Equity Bank CEO James Mwangi, who sat through the last two days of the winner's concert.

Some of the winners feted for winning in their respective classes include Kenya High School with an item Tumechelewa about the Vision 2030 and the country’s missed targets.