adminThe school beat off stiff competition from eight other schools that were vying for the three slots set aside for the finals.
Joining Mpopoma High School at Intwasa Arts Festival are Cowdray Park Secondary School who came second and Eveline Girls High School who came third.
The competition was themed: “Because I am a girl” and all the schools grasped the concept.
Schools that participated showcased plays that showed the struggles the girl child faces when she wants to attain an education.
Themes like forced marriages, the boy child being chosen over the girl child in terms of education, sexual abuse and the girl child being given the roles of cooking and cleaning in the house dominated the plays.
Mpopoma’s play was about a girl who was taken out of school to look after her bedridden parents.
Her father gets her a birth certificate and that enables her to write her examinations, which she passes.
Her uncle in the city gets her a job and she furthers her studies at a university. She graduates with a distinction.
Speaking after the competition senior master at Mpopoma High School and teacher in charge of drama, Alex Mangoro, paid tribute to his students whom he said were excellent in whatever they do.
He said students thought of the story and rehearsals of the play took three weeks to complete.
“There was not much hard work, my students are gifted and dedicated. I am free with them and it is easy to control children when they are free with you. They were the ones who thought of the story and we practised for three weeks,” said Mangoro.
He said other schools were prepared and in the finals they expect to face stiff competition.
Director of Intwasa Raisedon Baya said the high quality of presentations showed that what these schools were taught in workshops was taken into consideration.
“Since we started last year we have registered progress in terms of attendance. The level of participation was very good since we went to schools and did workshops from January to try and empower the schools with themes for the competition,” said Baya.
He said it was not about competition, but about showcasing how the themes could be effectively channelled out to the audience.
“Half the people go back unhappy because they have not won, but the idea is to have these plays move around schools and being marketed to their peers,” said Baya.
He said there are three pools in Bulawayo and in Kwekwe there is one.
“In total we shall have 11 schools participating and next year we shall have a different theme,” said Baya.
Participating schools were expected to create 20-minute plays focusing on the theme.
The finalist from each pool will perform during the Intwasa Arts Festival under the theme “Blooming”.
Other schools that participated were Sikhulile High School, Foundation College, Afro Combs College, Msiteli High School and Njube High School.
Online Reporter