By Emily M’mangisa  

Zomba, June 1, Mana: Failure to absorb expressive arts, history of different ethnic groups and understanding of cultural diversity by learners compelled educationists, parents and traditional leaders at Matiti Primary School in Zomba into action to host a cultural day.

The day was held on Friday under the theme; Our Culture, Our Pride.

Matiti Primary School Head Teacher, Leah Pahuwa, told Malawi News Agency (MANA) in an interview that learners have been fairing badly on subjects which could easily be related to daily life.

She said the school sat down with all stakeholders and resolved to organize a cultural day as one way of imparting cultural knowledge that can easily be applied in the classroom.

“We thought of organizing this activity so that learners should know and remember their culture and tradition and apply the same during examinations. With this knowledge, I am sure they can do well,” she said.

Chief Education Officer for Zomba Rural, Medson Mbilizi, concurred with Pahuwa saying the cultural day will rejuvenate the understanding of culture and tradition among learners.

He observed that there was moral decay among most learners due to diversion from moral values.

“We hope to have citizens that are morally sound. This generation has completely lost moral values hence the state of moral decay is incomprehensible,” he said.

He expressed hope that the learners will embrace the cultural day to uphold cultural, traditional values and identity, adding that learners have to be identified by characteristics of their ethnic group.

Group Village Head (GVH) Makungula appealed to parents to take a leading role in ensuring that learners are abreast with their culture and traditions as teachers are there to supplement parent’s efforts in raising children into responsible citizens while maintaining moral and cultural values. 

“Any country is identified by its culture and tradition; we risk losing the identity of language if this generation won’t take interest in what their fore-fathers believed in,” said the GVH.

Hilda Tambala, a Standard Five learner at the school and comes from Rumphi District, who showcased a variety of different food items described the event as relevant saying it will assist her and fellow learners to relate with what teachers teach in class.

The day showcased traditional dances such as manganje, tchopa, ngoma, gule wankulu and malipenga among others while makaka, kalongonda, kondowole, mikate, thobwa were some of the local food items that caused the audience to salivate.

Recently, Kingdom Builder Academy in Zomba also held a cultural day.