ATEM NED fighting corruption, GBV through drama
MZUZU– The Association for the Teaching of English in Malawi Northern Education Division Chapter is conducting a two day thrilling drama festival at Katoto Secondary School in the city of Mzuzu. “If you check on the past examination results, you will discover that overall, in Malawi; students are not performing well in English at MSCE. Senior Public Education…
By Phillip Pasula
MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-The Association for the Teaching of English in Malawi (ATEM) Northern Education Division (NED) Chapter is conducting a two day thrilling drama festival at Katoto Secondary School in the city of Mzuzu.
19 secondary schools from across the division are battling it out for three top positions that will represent the division at the national finals in Lilongwe.
The drama festival is double themed “Evils of tolerating corruption” and “The role of the youth in combating gender-based violence”.
Speaking to journalists after officially opening the festival on Saturday morning, Education Division Manager for the Northern Region, Jennings Matalabanda Kayira, said English is an important subject since it is a medium of instruction in Malawi’s education system besides being an official language in the offices.
“If you check on the past examination results, you will discover that overall, in Malawi; students are not performing well in English at MSCE. Activities such as drama help to improve the learners’ proficiency in English.
“And besides being entertainment, drama relays very important messages. As you can see this year, the plays are carrying messages against corruption as well as gender-based violence,” remarked Kayira.
Kayira also took advantage of the large gathering of students to strongly condemn rioting by some students in some schools.
Senior Public Education Officer in the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Boniface Ng’oma, said the ACB found the event a fertile ground for spreading messages on the evils of corruption.
“Our role is to prevent corruption and we partner with various organisations in the fight against corruption. For us, this is a better way of reaching out to the youth so that we inculcate a culture of integrity and honesty in them so that they grow up as responsible citizens,” explained Ng’oma.
The ACB will join ATEM NED in awarding the winners at the end of the festival.
On his part, ATEM NED President, William Mackson Phiri, said the goal of ATEM was to realise remarkable performance in English.
“As ATEM NED, we have other initiatives to help in the performance of our learners besides drama. Other initiatives include essay writing competition, capacity building workshops for teachers of English and development of a module which is in line with the national examinations,” remarked Phiri.
Schools taking part include Lupembe CDSS, Chibavi CDSS, Mzuzu Government Secondary School, Nkhata-Bay Boys Secondary School, Mchengautuba CDSS, Jalawe CDSS, Wenya CDSS, St Patricks Seminary, St John Bosco and hosts Katoto Secondary School. Winners will be known this Sunday, January 29.
