West Nile presents seven schools for National music festival 2023

By Mike Rwothomio

Seven West Nile primary schools have been selected to represent the region in the forthcoming National event for the music, dance and drama festival which will take place in Hoima City.

The   Schools were selected at the two-day regional competition that took place in Paidha town council Zombo District over the weekend.

The schools are to present the region at the national Competition that will be in Hoima City from the 24th to the 27th of this month.

The stiff competition Mustered 11 Primary schools from the region in which the three best-performing schools were awarded trophies and other certificates.

Performing Arts,  Learning music, dance and drama has wide-reaching benefits for children However, Music,  dance and drama competition has been kept under the carpet for years yet it was routine in Uganda’s education system in the early 2000s.

Lagwo Florence, The regional chairperson music, dance and drama competition said the event shall be on a rotational basis to demonstrate true different cultures to the locals.

” We have come together as a region so that the children demonstrate and maintain their culture and this culture is maintained in our roots, this year we were in Zombo and next year we shall be elsewhere, the seven schools we have selected will represent us in national event”.Lagwo said.

Next year, the committee plans to take the competition to Koboko municipality.

The  Arua city education officer Obiyay Ombere Raymond,  also the chairman national association of Municipal, district and city education officers west Nile region pledged more financial support from the regional level.

” As the District Education Officers in this region, we think going forward, we are going to pull resources together to take our regional teams beyond”. Ombere explained.

The performing arts encourage children to explore their emotions, expand their imagination and help them develop their own, unique voice.

The discipline of music, dance and drama engage a child’s brain, body and emotions in different ways to encourage their confidence and find joy in self-expression according to experts.

In the 2023  regional event for West Nile Sub_region, Participants premised on a health theme provided for them to sensitize, inform and educate people through our event through traditional dances, folk songs, and poems amongst others.

The chief adjudicator in the regional music festival who came from Gulu Core PTC Santa Sara Adong, rates the performance of West Nile schools high.

” What I have seen is that the standard of music here is high, Their performance was so good especially Western set pieces, drama, folk songs, and instrumental composition”. Adong told the Whisper Eye News.

Winners 

1. Oasis Primary school Arua city
2. Mother Tereza primary school Adjumani
3. Awindiri Primary school Arua city.
4. Arua public Primary school Arua city
5. Padwot Primary School Nebbi District
6. Liria Primary School Terego District
7. Teremunga primary school Koboko municipality.

String of studies states that children who participate in performing arts enjoy improved performance In academics through confidence gained and it also enhanced their communication skills.