Download MGI Inter-School Drama Festival 2013

MGI Inter-School Drama Festival 2013
Theme: "Compassion"
Thursday 29 August 2013
@ 13 00 hours – MGI Auditorium, Moka
Hon Mookhesswar Choonee, Minister of Arts & Culture
Mr Ravin Dwarka, Chairman, MGI/RTI
Mr Bijay Madhou, Director-General, MGI/RTI
Rectors, Deputy Rectors and Heads of Schools
Ladies & Gentlemen, & Dear Students
I am happy to be in your midst on this very special occasion for the Inter-School Drama
Festival 2013.
The MGI is among the rare educational institutions to organise the Inter-School Drama Festival
on an annual basis. For me, the mere participation in the plays gives a new dimension to the
development of character building in the child. It helps the child to assert himself/herself in front of
the public. Indeed, acting and speaking in front of an audience are not given to everyone as an
inborn characteristic. Many have to work on it and build their character.
It has often been said that we are all actors as we move along the journey of life. We have to
adopt a different body language to face the different situations as we come across. It is said that the
message we convey is usually 80 percent through body language and 20 percent through speech.
This is where we should develop the body language of the child if we want him or her to be a
good and effective communicator. Here, I would like to stress on the role of the teachers who are
the first ones to interact with the child. You are the Gurus of these children and I request your
wholehearted dedication to the development of their full potential. The management of MGI/RTI, I
am sure, will support your initiatives, and rest assured, you will get your Guru Dakshina.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As Minister of Education, I am all for the involvement of children in extra- curricular activities.
These help build their character and mould them into the best citizens of tomorrow when they should
take their destiny in their own hands. I have always said that the true meaning of education cannot
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be circumscribed exclusively by its academic dimensions only. It has to be made to open itself up to
other activities which provide the opportunities for the flourishing of the full potential of the child.
And the use of theatre in education is precisely one of those that are pre-eminent.
None can deny the benefits that arise with the use of theatre in education. Apart from the fact
that students start gaining mastery in self-control and feel more confident in communicating, they
also become more creative and allow their imagination a free rein. Wasn’t it Einstein who said,
“Imagination is more important than knowledge”?
In addition, there is behind all theatre the expression of a cultural set up that encourages
greater cultural understanding, that makes all persons watching a play, develop a greater sympathy
and appreciation for inter culturalism. My Ministry is already encouraging Inter Cultural Education
that is becoming an on-going feature—and I would love to see drama contributing its share to that as
well.
This is also one major reason why I have encouraged the MIE to set up a Unit of Performing
Arts. This Unit is mandated primarily to promote teaching through drama, to bring drama into the
pedagogy used at school. The Unit is currently doing a great job - mounting workshops both at the
MIE itself for trainee teachers as well as in schools for the pupils themselves.
I am happy that all the schools of MGI/RTI have already taken action along these lines.
Nonetheless, while I must applaud the Chairman, the Director General and all those who have been
involved in this laudable initiative, I must also suggest that your institutions explore the possibility of
making theatre a shared and collaborative activity.
I would thus love to see each of the MGSS and the RTI link up with a school or two in the
neighbourhood and work together making such an activity a genuine INTER-SCHOOL and not only an
INTRA-MGI SCHOOL one.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Mauritius has had a long tradition of stage plays. I still remember in the olden days when
stage plays based on the Ramayana for ex., were organised in baitkas, and the entire village
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gathered to watch them. Unfortunately, stage plays have not fully gathered momentum to really
integrate the cultural scene of our island.
However, there is still hope. Certain stage plays written and performed by Mauritians, have
been very well acclaimed in several parts of India. Here, I am referring to Mr Balraj Ramful, the
Drama Coordinator, who has led his team to perform in India in 2006 and 2008 and I know they
were much appreciated. This shows that we have the capacity and capability to perform well.
Let me end on this positive note and again, congratulate the management of MGI/RTI, the
teachers, the pupils and all those involved in the organisation of the drama competition. I wish all
the teams best of luck.
I thank you for your attention.
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