UNESCO backs arts in education as Merishaw Cultural Day showcases young talent

Merishaw School Director Julius Wanyaga said the celebration, held every year, was meant to honour heritage and give learners room to grow their talent beyond the classroom.

"Tumefurahi sana leo kuwa hapa, Merishaw school cultural day ambayo tunapanga kila mwaka ili kusherehekea utamaduni wetu," he said.

He said culture remained the school's greatest strength and pledged continued support for learners showing promise in the arts. "Utamaduni wetu ndio nguvu yetu. Kama leo vijana wetu wamekuwa waki act kama Moran, and we see that they are very good in the extracurricular activities, we will continue to empower them to grow their talent in this field," he added.

Speaking at the same event, former CEO of the Kenya Film Classification Board Ezekiel Mutua lauded the school for creating a family environment where students shed their tribal identities and belong to a single community, describing it as a model other institutions should follow.

"Our young boys are facing a lot of challenges today," he said, arguing that conversations around empowerment, cultural understanding and belonging were central to raising a generation that thrives beyond the classroom.

He warned against an education that fills the mind but neglects the whole person. "The greatest tragedy is to have someone who is only taught in class but not taught in the wholeness of life," he said, adding that young people needed to learn how to face challenges, interact with others and embrace different cultures.

Mutua said the interaction between students, teachers and parents during the cultural day captured the spirit society needs in difficult times. He noted that some learners had no home other than the school, and welcomed its framing of the institution as a family where every child belongs.

"My appeal would be for other schools to emulate this, because this is the way to go," he said. "If we are going to build a better Kenya, if we are going to build a better world, it has to begin with institutions of learning embracing cultural diversity."

He argued that giving young people room to express themselves turns them into part of the solution rather than the problem, and lays the ground for them to grow into leaders who live well with others. Drawing on communal philosophy, he said the day reflected values of unity, civility, dignity and respect. "We live because others lived. We are because they are," he said.

UNESCO representative Emily Njeru linked the school's approach to a broader global shift, pointing to a framework on culture and arts education adopted by the body in 2024.

She said the framework calls for the integration of arts and culture into both formal and informal education, so that young people can learn about their heritage, tap into it and build skills and careers from it.

Njeru said the talent on display during the cultural day, including in acting and performance, was worth cultivating for the long term. "That talent we will continue to cultivate, so that in their lives afterwards, they can use it to make money and build a livelihood," she said.