By Sam Banda Jnr:
The French Schools Drama Festival returns to the stage on February 28 2024 with regional finals set to attract 28 secondary schools across the country.
Now in its 34th edition, the drama competition running under the theme ‘La lute contre le vandalism et la violence dans les ecoles’ (The fight against vandalism and violence in schools’ is being led by Jacaranda Foundation and the French Embassy in collaboration with Association of French teachers in Malawi.
Director of French Studies at Jacaranda Cultural Centre (JCC) and Maison dela France, Poya Chapweteka said yesterday that the competition’s aim is to promote arts and culture as well as the French language.
“This year’s theme was chosen by the French teachers with the aim of sensitising learners on the consequences of engaging in violence or vandalism,” Chapweteka said.
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He said they were thrilled by the high number of participating schools in this edition.
“We have schools participating for the first time which is good and then we are also excited to receive support from the Ministry of Education and all French teachers,” Chapweteka said.
He said six finalists; two from each region will qualify for the national finals set for Blantyre on March 9, 2024.
Ten schools are expected to battle it out in the regional finals in the Northern Region to be held at Katoto Secondary School in Mzuzu and they are Chaminade, Chilumba and Kaseye from Karonga, Chitipa from Chitipa, Euthini and Mpherembe Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) from Mzimba, Mzuzu Academy, Katoto, Luwinga and Marymount from Mzuzu.
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The regional finals in the Central Region will take place at Chinsapo Secondary School in Lilongwe with seven schools battling it out namely Dzaleka CDSS from Dowa, Likuni Boys, Chinsapo, Lilongwe Girls, Loyola, Marist and Mziza Mission.
In the Southern Region, 11 schools will shrug it out in the regional finals to be held at Zingwangwa Secondary School in Blantyre and they are Army, Chiradzulu, Draper CDSS, Hilltop Academy, Jacaranda, Kampu, Stella Maris, Sir Harry Johnson, St Michaels, Thawale and Zomba Catholic.
Last year, Jacaranda School for Orphans were the winners.
JCC Director and French Honorary Consul to Malawi Luc Deschamps said the French Drama competition is a long tradition on their calendar.
“The journey in the competition has been exciting and we are happy that we continue to welcome new schools and this year we have close to 30 schools participating,” Deschamps said.
Meanwhile, the French writing competition targeting three universities that teach French namely University of Malawi, Domasi College of Education and Mzuzu University has been introduced.
The competition will run under the theme ‘Les jeunes et le chomage’ (The Youth and Unemployment).
“In this competition, students will have to write a news article of 200 to 250 words in French under exam conditions in their respective institutions,” Chapweteka said.
The organisers have also been running the French storytelling and singing competitions.
