Mumias Sugar Sponsors This Year's Drama Festival
It's all systems go for the Kenya National Drama Festival set for next week with Mumias Sugar Company sponsoring this year's finals to the tune of Sh6.5 million.
Unveiling Mumias Sugar as the official sponsors, Education minister Prof Sam Ongeri acknowledged the need to develop students' talents. "Investment in education goes hand in hand with appreciating drama as a major component in social development of skills that facilitates better performance of our children in schools. It's a way of instilling better values by strengthening the power of the psychomotor of our children," said Prof Ongeri.
The national drama festival is an integral event in the schools and colleges calendar. It provides a platform for students to showcase their acting prowess while at the same time articulating societal and national issues on stage. It is a truism that drama is like a mirror in which we see ourselves as a society from various angles.
While some parents fear that their children participating in drama festivals will hamper their academic progress, studies have shown that children who involve themselves in arts and culture tend to have a higher academic performance.
Mumias Sugar Company Chief Executive Officer, Dr Evans Kidero, noted that theatre is a springboard to many careers such as teaching, law and politics. He added that broadcasting, performing arts and public speaking complements each other in social- economic development of any country.
"Academic gains aren't the only benefits. There are other hidden ones like improved self-confidence, better public speaking skills and the ability to work through consensus to achieve a common goal. Such are miracles of drama. Since drama provides opportunities for the youth, I wish to commend both local radio and television stations for indentifying and utilising those talents," Dr Kidero added.
This year's festival theme is enhancing our national values for a better Kenya, with the aim to promote good governance, peaceful co-existence, cultural diversity, patriotism and embracing divergent political and religious views.
Bomas of Kenya and Lenana School will host the event this year. The festival is scheduled to run from April 6-13 with gala performances taking three more days.