Don't just focus on STEM, content production is the real goldmine

For the past year, I have been deeply involved in the development of Competency-Based Education (CBE) materials for a new learning area: Theatre and Film Studies. This is to be taught in senior schools in Kenya. The experience has been eye-opening. It has forced me to think deeply about the opportunities that lie ahead for our young people and the transformative potential this subject carries for the nation.

The world offers powerful lessons on the economic strength of creative industries. California is a striking example. Powered by Hollywood and a vibrant creative sector, its economy is so vast that it surpasses the entire African continent in size. India, through Bollywood, has built a cultural powerhouse that makes a substantial contribution to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Nigeria, too, has transformed Nollywood into a global brand, with the industry now accounting for a notable share of that country’s economic output.

In contrast, Kenya’s film industry has, to say the least, underperformed. We have talent, passion, and creativity, yet the industry remains stunted. What excites me about the inclusion of theatre and film in the new curriculum is that we are finally laying a strong foundation to change this story. For the first time, children will leave high school with practical skills that can propel them beyond the entertainment they already produce on platforms such as TikTok. If they are this creative without structured training, imagine what they will achieve when guided by a proper curriculum.

For years, the Kenya National Drama and Film Festivals have served as an outlet for creativity. However, they have done little to transform the fortunes of the film industry. One of the reasons is that schools often hire external experts to script and direct productions instead of nurturing the students to do it. The performances have been impressive, no doubt. But can you imagine what will happen when learners are systematically trained, empowered, and challenged to create? The results will be revolutionary.

This new course is structured to nurture creativity progressively. At Grade 10, learners will be introduced to traditional Kenyan theatre, script writing, poetry, spoken word, acting, theatre directing, theatre design, adjudication, and theatre for development. By Grade 11, they will dive into film scripting, both fictional and documentary, before progressing into more advanced areas of film production in Grade 12. They will study acting for film, directing, design, film judging, community-focused filmmaking, and full-scale production processes. In short, they will walk out of school not just as consumers of content, but as producers of meaningful cultural content.

Look at what is happening around us! Our young people are already excelling on social media platforms without formal training. With training, whatever they are currently doing on TikTok will soon look like child’s play. As a teacher educator and a producer of content, I am excited to be part of this revolution. We have a real opportunity to position Kenya as an African creative hub, exporting stories and films. For now, let us call the film industry “Safariwood.” Does this not connect with our adventurous spirit and our journeys in storytelling?

But I must also voice my concern. The greatest challenge we face is a shortage of qualified teachers for this new learning area. At Masinde Muliro University, where I teach, I had to re-engineer the Literature and English majors to incorporate elements of theatre and film. This is a step forward, but it is not enough. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) does not currently employ teachers specifically trained to teach Theatre and Film, and this is a serious gap. Unless addressed urgently, we risk undermining a subject that could be the key to moving Kenya out of poverty.

We continue to prioritize Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects as if they are a panacea for our problems. This is not true. In fact, STEM graduates are among the most underemployed and unemployed in the country. Why? Because we exported the very jobs they were meant to take to China and elsewhere. We lie to our children when we make them believe that STEM alone holds the answers. By contrast, this learning area in Theatre and Film will create jobs right here in Kenya. Our children will not need to go and slave in foreign countries. I believe we suffer from a bankruptcy of thinking when we fail to see that creative industries are a far more sustainable path to prosperity.

For too long, our economic dreams have been tied to oil, minerals and agriculture. Yet in the 21st century, content production is the true goldmine. The creative economy is not depleted by extraction. It expands with imagination. With the right investment in training and infrastructure, theatre and film studies can position Kenya at the forefront of Africa’s creative economy.

Our policymakers need to recognize this opportunity. Teacher training institutions must prepare specialists for this area, and the government must invest in infrastructure to support schools. For the students who choose this pathway, the future is bright. As I continue to work on course books for this learning area, I am convinced that it will revolutionise the Kenyan film industry.

We now have a real opportunity to act and to secure a brighter future for our children and our country.