Bensouda stamps out furore over school extra-curricular activities

When I went to the market and hired three new, young and energetic teachers, I was not just looking for people to replace the maternity troupe. I wanted teachers who could bring back our old games glory.

You see, in the last few years, our school had become so pathetic in games as teachers here outside the classroom. Increasingly, I became the only teacher who had interest in activities outside the classroom. But you know, I am just one man, I could not be everywhere.

So when Agrippa, Atlas and Tracy reported, the first thing I did was to inquire what they could do outside the classroom.

“I am good in ball games, all ball games,” said Agrippa. “Football, netball, volleyball, handball, anything that has a ball in it.”

“Give me athletics any day,” said Atlas. “Cross country, Olympics, relay, 100 metres, javelin. I can also coach the students in decathlon and heptathlon,” he said. As for me, it was the first time I was hearing of such.

“Gosh! What is that?” Wondered Tracy. “Isn’t that maths?”

“Come kiwanjani I will show you,” said Atlas.

Tracy, whom everyone in the staff room calls “Slay Queen” said she is not very good in sports. “Gosh. As in sports ain’t my cup of tea,” she said. “As in for me, I can do drama, choirs, you know, such like things,” she added, raising her finger and using some wet disposable tissues to wipe her face delicately.

“Thank you very much,” I said. I could now see us become, once more, a force to reckon with in matters sports. “There were changes in the extra activities calendar and I will need to confirm what is being done in first term before I can advise which activities to focus on.”

“That is not the right way sir,” said Atlas. “In order to build strong winning teams, I suggest that we begin with all the activities and once we know when competitions begin, we will be having very competitive teams.”

As such, Agrippa assembled a football and volleyball team and  they started training every day. Every Tuesday, Atlas would have everyone in the school take part in the cross country, a run that took us around Mwisho wa Lami village. By the third week, he had selected a team of good runners and it was with this team that he started regular training every morning and evening. They called it road work.

I challenged Tracy to start off drama and choir rehearsals. “Gosh! As in me nangojea ministry to say what we will do,” she said. “Choir has specific classes people compete against.” I asked her about drama. “Gosh, I don’t have a play so how will I train them? Can you write me a play?” I equally neither had a play, nor could I write one.

I, however, knew some people who had one. I talked to Sucrose, the drama teacher at St Theresa’s Girls, who gave me a play the used last year. It was called “The Flag.” I made a few changes to reflect current happenings and gave it to Tracy to use it. “Gosh, hii kitu ni mrefu,” was her first reaction. “Ni nani atasoma yote na a-cram?”

Since I used to be great in drama and I still am, I decided to help her. So together we identified some good students and assigned them key roles. I photocopied the play and we gave it to the students who we asked to start memorising the lines a per their roles. They would meet every day just to read and memorize their parts. As at last week, they had started reciting their parts, without any dramatization.

Tracy also got a folk song, I don’t know where she got it from, but the pupils started practising it every evening and sometimes at lunch time. Within a few weeks, Mwisho wa Lami Primary School became an extremely active and lively school. Atlas too had taken over the Scouts team and every Monday and Friday during parade, the process of raising and lowering the flag was nothing but dramatic, with everyone looking forward to it, including neighbours.

MIRACULOUS APPEARENCES

Absenteeism, which was one of the major problems we had been experiencing, drastically went down, as pupils were increasingly becoming excited to be in school.

Cases of sickness went down completely, and even if some pupils were absent in the morning, they would miraculously appear in the afternoon just to participate in drama, choir or sports. Indeed, some students that had dropped out of school returned.

But it would appear that enemies of development were not asleep. I did not know this until last week when, in the staff meeting, I congratulated the three young teachers for bringing life to our school.

“With you around, we are now raising all-round children,” I said. “I am so proud of you please keep up. If I had powers, I would give you permanent jobs.”

“I like the flag raising by the Scouts team – very enjoyable,” said Erick. He was in school that day after a long time away at TSC offices – looking for a transfer. “Those children will go straight to the army or police. They really know how to march.”

“I can’t believe what I am hearing,” said Kuya. “Parents bring their children here to learn and we are paid to teach.”

“But playing is part of learning Mr Kuya,” I interjected, having seen where he was headed.

“Not the way we are overdoing it. This has become a sports camp and a cultural centre, not a school.”

“Please look at the positive side,” I said. “We have a good number of students who had dropped out of school have since returned.”

“I totally disagree, with you!” He said. “You guys have returned some crooks that we had sent out of this school.”

“I agree with Kuya,” said Nzomo. As if anyone expected her to disagree. “This school is just too noisy, even Mwisho wa Lami market is better.”

“It is even noisier than Hitler’s,” said Saphire. “We hear noise from the school very late every day.”

Bensouda came in just as Erick stood up to speak. “What is happening here?” She asked. Kuya told her that the staff room was unhappy with the extra-curricular activities in the school.

“What is the problem with that?” She asked. “I actually like it. It makes this school vibrant. Keep up the three of you.” That silenced everyone. Except Kuya.

“Its OK madam Headmistress,” said Kuya. “But I can tell you all, you will regret this soon.”

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