Nairobi County scoops top honour in music festivals

Nairobi County has emerged the best overall County nationally and the best Region nationally in the just concluded music festivals that ended last week in Nyeri.

The music festivals that ran from August 6 to 17 had over 48 public Primary schools from Nairobi, 72 private and 13 schools participate in the festivals.

Overall the best performing Primary school in the country was Harambee primary public school from Makadara, Nairobi which won in four categories, runners-up in five categories scooping nine awards in total.

Logos Primary school from Nairobi which was the best overall in the private school category scooped first position four categories, two runners-up positions and position three in four categories.

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Starehe boys Centre were also the best in the country having scooped 11 position ones, 4 positions twos and 4 positions 3 making a total number of 19 trophies in the secondary category.

Receiving the two trophies today in his office today, the Regional education Coordinator John Ololtua thanked the government for the sponsorship and funding given to schools to enable them participate in the festivals.

“This year, the enrollment was unique in that funding was improved making it easy for public schools to participate and showing an indication that there is potential in the healthy competition between both private and public,” he said.

Ololtua noted that co-curricular activities are key in enabling youths to develop not only their talents but also be able to benefit the country by shining out there and further even as a source of livelihood to their families.

The RCE noted the new education curriculum which is being rolled and is competency based is putting emphasis on talent development at early stage.

He added that Co-curricular activities apart from entertaining are also a source of educating the society on a number of issues and a lot of items that were presented during the festivals touched on issues such as corruption, terrorism, drug abuse, discipline and conduct of children in schools including speaking against of burning of school that has been witnessed recently been happening in our schools.

Regional Secretary, Kenya Music festival Eric Amuhaya said Nairobi County  was well represented in  the  festival with 48 public primary schools, 72 private primary, 15 from people living with disabilities and 13 schools from special needs.

“This combination breakdown was fit for us to be able to get best county and region overall trophies and this was also because of the quantity and also the quality from individual schools especially the public which have had under representation before,” he said.

Amuhaya said following the win, several schools have been invited and have been given a slot to visit Gulu in Uganda for the East African music drama festivals to be held on August 25   present various set pieces.

Pumwani High School, he explained qualified for class 3-11, boys set piece composed by the late Arthur Kimolli that will be performed by all the qualifiers from the region. Alongside this, Starehe schools will be performing a class 198- j that encompasses western instruments which they presented up to the higher levels of the music festival.

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The Kenya Schools and Colleges Music Festival is organized by the Ministry of Education and brings together thousands of pupils and students, including those in institutions of higher learning.