22 Oct 2015

 As the local drama industry continues to grow and win hearts of many followers, Mogoditshane Junior Secondary School drama group is no exception as they have scooped this year’s Botswana Secondary Schools Drama Association competition.

The school’s drama group managed to ascend to the throne after winning the zonal competitions, finishing second at the sub regional level and clinching both the regional and national championships this year.

Speaking in an interview recently about their achievement, the group’s director, script writer and teacher, Bame Ponatshego said winning the competition was a mammoth task.

“Winning the competition was not easy as it was the best of the best as all national schools that won at their regions came together. However we managed to outperform them and came out tops,” stated Ponatshego.

She went on to disclose that prior to the competitions, grouping the students together to form the group was not tough as many students in the school showed interest to take part in the group, however, she had to audition them first so as to select the best 40 to make up the group.

Ponatshego disclosed that the secret behind their success story was that after forming the group they practised tirelessly, worked hard on stage, held several workshops for student actors and actresses as well as joining hands with a choreographer who further helped them to polish their performance.

The director of the group further expressed gratitude to different stakeholders who gave them support and encouragement.“After winning the national championships, school management staged a party to congratulate the students and among the dignitaries at the event were the area councillor and the Member of Parliament for Mogoditshane.

It was a motivating factor for students and it inspired them to work hard to retain their championship next year,” she said. Ponatshego revealed that at first some parents were reluctant to grant their children permission to join the drama group.

However, she said winning the national championship and throwing a big party for the drama group helped to change the mindset of such parents. She believes that the fact that they act in English only, helps to improve the academic performance of the students.

She further showed faith in local drama as she was confident that the registration of BOSEDA would aid the growth of drama, and she also applauded the organisers for being strict on the originality of the script to avoid plagiarism.

At the competitions, Thapelo Baraedi from Mogoditshane Junior School was voted the best actor for the second year running while Chipo Keletso was voted the best actress, still from the same school.

The theme at the competition was: Upholding moral values a key to economic development. The champions’ storyline was dubbed “a good heart” which entailed two children who lost both their parents and remained under the parental care of their step mother who later abused them, but a good woman took care of them and were successful at school as one of them became a fashion designer.

She was later murdered while the remaining boy was now doing well at the University of Botswana, and hence their story was to show that being compassionate can help change other people’s lives for the better. ends