20 to participate in French Schools Drama
The 32nd edition of the French Schools Drama competition kicks off this Saturday with regional finals and will see 20 schools participating.
Coordinator of the competition, Poya Chapweteka, said Tuesday they have 20 schools competing in the regional finals having last time communicated that they had 19 schools.
Chapweteka has also revealed that they have changed the venue for the competition in the Southern Region and that it will be held at Zingwangwa Secondary School.
“Lunzu Secondary School is closed and Lilongwe Girls suspended all clubs and so these two are no longer coming,” he said.
Chapweteka said last year they had 14 schools.
“So, this year it is good in terms of having more schools. We have added six schools. We are looking forward to the best once again this year,” Chapweteka, who is also Director of French Studies at Jacaranda Cultural Centre and Maison de la France, said.
The event in the Northern Region will be held at Mzuzu University and the schools participating are Euthini Girls, Katoto, Kaseghe Girls and Marymount.
In the Central Region, the contest will take place at Likuni Boys in Lilongwe and the schools participating are Likuni Boys, Chipasula Private, Darlo Girls, Dedza, Dzaleka, Good Shepherd International, Kasungu and Robert Blake.
In Blantyre, the event will feature Jacaranda, Joyce Banda, Lunzu, Malosa, Njamba, St Patricks and Zomba Catholic.
“Two schools from each of the three regions will qualify for the national finals scheduled for the March14 2020 in Blantyre,” Chapweteka said.
He said the consolation prizes for the contest will be given out during the regional finals.
“I should also say it here that Euthini, Good Shepherd International, Kasungu and Njamba secondary schools will be taking part for the first time in the competition,” Chapweteka said.
He said in addition to promoting arts and culture and the French language, the competition seeks to play an important role in the education of youths.
The theme for the 2019-2020 competition is ‘climate change’.
“The theme should motivate learners to document themselves on the subject before coming up with their play. We trust that the learners will eventually be more concerned about climate change adaptation and mitigation,” he said.
The French Drama competition is an annual event organised by Jacaranda Foundation with support from the French Embassy.
“The competition continues to motivate learners to pursue French. Apart from being an official language of 29 countries, French is spoken by over 275 million people across the world,” he said.
Chapweteka said in order to serve people to learn French but also reach out to those who have never learned French in school, they decided to create different platforms.
“Jacaranda Foundation is offering French weekly lessons at Jacaranda Cultural Centre and Maison de la France. Registration for the internationally recognised exams, the Delf and Dalf, is in progress,” he said.
Jacaranda School for Orphans are the defending champions having won the championship back to back.
French Ambassador to Malawi and Zimbabwe, Richard Boidin, said during the final of the 31st Edition that the best actor and actress this year will fly to France.
