DRAMA: Tech-Driven performances leave rural schools behind at national drama festival

Curiculum gaps under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) model have come into sharp focus at the ongoing 64th Kenya National Drama and Film Festival in Nyeri, where rural schools are increasingly being edged out by their urban and private counterparts due to limited access to technology.

As performances entered day two, it is becoming evident that CBE’s heavy reliance on digital tools, multimedia production, and technical staging is widening inequalities, with learners from well-resourced institutions showcasing advanced productions while those from marginalized areas struggle to keep up.

Schools with access to modern equipment, internet connectivity, and technical training dominated the stage, raising questions about fairness in national competitions that are increasingly becoming showcases of technological capability as much as creative talent.

However, even as these gaps emerge, the festival is simultaneously offering a glimpse into the transformative potential of CBE when effectively implemented.

Across various categories, learners integrated technology into storytelling—using digital backdrops, sound engineering, film elements, and even artificial intelligence concepts to enrich their performances.

The productions were not only artistically compelling but also deeply rooted in current affairs, tackling issues such as governance, climate change, mental health, and social justice with remarkable depth and awareness.

Many of the standout performances have demonstrated how CBE is reshaping learning by encouraging critical thinking, innovation, and real-world problem-solving. Students are no longer confined to traditional scripts but are crafting narratives that reflect contemporary Kenyan realities, blending creativity with technical expertise in ways that mirror global trends in film and theatre.

BuruBuru 1 Comprehensive School emerged as one of the standout institutions, using the newly introduced video category to demonstrate the practical impact of Competency-Based Education (CBE) in classrooms.

Their production, a video song titled “Mazingira,” brought together Grade 5 and 6 learners in a powerful, child-centered performance that addresses the effects of environmental degradation and climate change.

Shot and presented through a digital lens, the piece reflected a growing shift towards integrating technology, creativity, and real-world issues in learning, with learners taking an active role not just as performers but as storytellers engaging with global concerns.

According to the trainer and teacher, Clarkson Ochieng Okatch, the production was intentionally designed to make environmental conservation relatable to young learners while embracing the new digital direction of the festival.

“We are here at Kagumo Teachers Training College with an item under the video class, which is a new genre introduced this year. Our video song ‘Mazingira’ was composed and performed by Grade 5 and 6 learners, focusing on the effects of environmental degradation and climate change,” he said.

He added that the idea was to create a performance that speaks directly to learners’ daily interactions with the environment, making the message both practical and impactful.

Okatch said that the project goes beyond performance, aiming to instill responsibility among learners at an early age.

“We are trying to highlight that as human beings, we can take care of the environment in such a way that we preserve our future generations. If we destroy the environment today, then we are going to destroy the next generation. The video format allowed learners to communicate their message creatively and effectively,” he said.

He further explained that the introduction of the video category has opened up new opportunities for schools to align performances with CBE principles.

“This is a new genre, and we wanted to come up with something that is child-centered and relevant to the learner, especially at the upper primary level. Through ‘Mazingira’, we are speaking through the lens of a camera to show that learners themselves can take responsibility in caring for the environment,” he said.

Adonai Growland Schools brought a powerful and reflective voice to the national stage, turning the spotlight from performance to parenting in a thought-provoking live TV broadcast piece that challenged societal norms around talent nurturing.

Through their production, aptly themed “The Voice of a Child,” the learners used drama to confront a deeply rooted issue in the Competency-Based Education (CBE) era—the tendency by some parents to impose career paths on their children rather than nurturing their natural abilities.

According to the head of the institution and trainer, Susan Makale, the performance was inspired by the need to amplify children’s voices in a system that is increasingly shifting towards skills and competencies. 

“Our school was presenting a live TV broadcast about the voice of a child. Our main aim was to let parents and the world understand that in this CBE era, they are supposed to allow children to practice their competencies,” she said. 

Makale added that the production mirrors real-life experiences where parents push children into predefined professions, often ignoring their interests and talents.

“Some parents try to force their children to follow in their footsteps, to do what they did, but through this performance, the children are advising that it is not right. Parents need to listen to their children and support them in nurturing their talents,” she explained.

She expressed optimism that embracing children’s passions will yield long-term benefits, especially as they transition to higher levels of education.

“When children are allowed to do what they love, they will grow with it even as they join senior school, and it will be good for them because they are pursuing what they truly enjoy. Empowering learners is key to the success of Competency-Based Education,” she said.

Beulyn Schola brought star power and lived experience to the festival stage, anchoring a production that blurred the line between performance and reality by inviting a guest whose life story mirrored the message being told. As the host of the piece, she steered the narrative towards the importance of embracing individual talent, using a real-life example to drive the point home.

She revealed that the invited guest had once struggled against parental expectations, having been pushed towards a different career path despite his own ambitions.

“His parents wanted him to pursue a different course, but he had a passion for something else. Eventually, they allowed him to follow his dream, and that is why he is where he is today,” she said.

Beulyn noted that the decision to bring him into the performance was intentional, meant to inspire both learners and parents. Now based in the United States, the guest returned to Kenya as a living testament to the power of supporting children’s talents.

“We wanted to show that if children are given the opportunity to nurture their talent, they can succeed globally. That is why I invited him back home—to speak through his journey,” she added.