At last Butere Girls high school failed to perform their much hyped play ‘Echoes of war’ scripted and directed by former Kakamega senator Cleophas wakhungu Malala. This was after drama ensued that culminated to arrest of the politician prompting the girls to demand his presence before honoring the stage. Marked as political and digressing from this year’s theme, the play has exposed the work done by MoE officers, sub county Quality and assurance and standards and sub county directors of Education.
Education news has established that many of these officers attend co-curricular activities at their areas of jurisdiction. It is claimed that some, do appear during opening sessions, sign the visitors books, handed over allowances only to monitor the progress through calls trained on chairperson’s of the event.
In-depth scrutiny at Butere Girls play, an objective critic would wonder how the item progressed through the various levels in Western region up to the nationals. The argument here is, was the play in tandem with this year’s secondary schools drama theme? The theme for avoidance of doubt was, leveraging technology to nurture talents while inculcating values for socio economic prosperity.
Some of the audience who are versed with plays from Kakamega were quick to wonder how the play, full of direct criticism to the government and scripted and directed by a non-teacher was able to be given a green light. “I was wondering whether the adjudicators were versed with this year’s theme. Some plays were left yet they were scripted around the theme” Said Makutwo a retired drama enthusiast.
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Co-curricular activities are mandate of the ministry of Education as TSC deals with teacher management. The most glaring mistake is whether the Moe brigade from the sub county to the regional office were aware of the content of the play and to a greater extent, this year’s theme.
From the look of things, it is as if the officers and the adjudicators were carried away by the ululations and jubilations that audience gave the play while it was on stage. Another possibility is that, when they learnt that the play was scripted and directed by a politician with national outlook, their judgment skills got abducted only to okay the play to the next level.
Pursuant to TSC circular number 14/2018, read and enforced together with TSC/Circular No 3/2010,stipulates explicitly in section 2 that, persons not registered as teachers including those whose names have been expunged from TSC register should not be engaged to supervise and coach learners in co-curricular and other listed school activities.
The question is, is Malala a registered teacher? Again, why was his rationale for targeting Butere Girls and not Isongo secondary school or Chebuyusi boys?. Again, what will have happened if Moi Girls come up with a play ‘Kumi bila break’ written and directed by a Kenya Kwanza politician (of Malala’s caliber)? What values will we be claiming to inculcate our learners?
It is time that Both MoE and TSC become more vigilant on the on goings in our schools. Failure to which it will lead to lack of political neutrality in our institutions which will be a recipe for chaos.
By Naboth Murunga.
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