Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba Migos has denied allegations that Butere Girls School was prevented from performing their play at the national drama and film festivals in Nakuru.
According to the CS, the students chose not to take the stage after learning that former UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala, the author of the play, had not been cleared to direct the play titled “Echoes of War”, was barred from the event.
“The government did not stop Butere Girls from performing. The students were allowed to perform at 8 o’clock. After the national anthem, one of them stepped forward and said they were not willing to perform without their director, Mr. Malala. Malala is not their teacher, and he is not a director at Butere Girls, nor is he a director of that play. The students, of their own volition, decided not to participate,” stated the CS.
Ogamba asserts that the Rules and Regulations of the Kenya National Drama and Film Festival prohibit non-teachers from directing school drama performances.
He claims that the former Kakamega Senator attempted to intervene at Kirobon Girls to train the students but was prevented from doing so by security personnel.
“It is clear that Cleophas Malala shouldn’t have been allowed to direct the play, a role that should have been left to the teachers as per the rules and regulations,” he stated.
He cautioned that school principals who invite non-teachers to train students in co-curricular activities are violating the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) regulations and the Kenya National Drama and Film Festival rules, and that the state does not take these violations lightly.
“We cannot allow people to weaponise school children against authority. Let political wars be fought by politicians outside of learning environments,” Education CS stated
