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Langalakhe Mabena
Organisers of the upcoming Arts in Education Festival have revealed that everything is going on well and they are ready to display different theatre productions inspired by the Literature in English and Ndebele set books on the Ordinary and Advanced level syllabus.
The festival is organised by Centre for Talent Development (CTD), and it’s slated to run from 23 to 27 September, with Eveline High school and Bulawayo Theatre hosting the activities.
The newly crafted festival, aims at equipping both Ndebele and English Literature candidates with a vivid picture of specific important scenes from the set books, as they are performed on stage.
For the festival, CTD partnered with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. Other partners are the authors of the works that we will be showcased.
Ndebele set books that will be presented on the stage are Umhlaba Lo, Kodwa Mama as well as Ugqozi Lwezimbongi.
There will also be a thorough session on discussing thematic concerns as well as characters during the festival. Literature in English set books that will be portrayed on stage and presented include I Will Wait, Shadows on the Horizon, The Tribe of Graves and Every Stone That Turns – an anthropology by Thomas Bvuma.
To spice things up, the festival added an aspect of the History in Zimbabwe discourses as they will perform two plays based on the country’s history. These include King Lobengula (Colonisation of Zimbabwe) and Ihloka –The Ndebele Uprising Response to White Occupation.
Thabani Hilary Moyo, who is the co-founder and patron for CTD said the festival was conceived out of a passionate belief in the transformative power of arts and humanities in education.
“Recognising the crucial role that literature and history play in shaping critical thinking, cultural awareness and empathy, as the festival’s founders we seek to create an event that would bring these subjects to life for students, educators and the broader community.
“The festival was initiated to address gaps in the traditional curriculum, offering a more immersive and interactive approach to learning about literature and history. By focusing on Ndebele and English works, the festival highlights local cultural heritage while also engaging with the globe.
“The idea stems from a desire to create a community-centred event that encourages lifelong learning and fosters a love for the arts. By involving learners from various schools, local authors, historians and educators, the festival aims to build a bridge between academic knowledge and community experiences.
“This Festival is also in line with the new thrust of the Heritage Based curriculum, which encourages learners to come up with projects, thus, the festival on its own gives learners innovative ideas,” said Moyo.
He said performance-based learning, particularly through watching plays and engaging with other art forms, has shown to be a highly effective educational approach, which helps learners remember important aspects of the set books.
Online Reporter