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Centre for National Culture launches StuDraFest 2026
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The Centre for National Culture (CNC) in the Eastern Region has launched the maiden StuDraFest, an annual drama festival aimed at nurturing creativity, confidence and advocacy skills among Senior High School students through the performing arts.
The initiative sought to provide students with a platform to showcase their talents and craftsmanship while using drama as a tool to address critical social issues affecting communities.
Launching the festival in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional Director of the CNC, Dr Dorcas Salamatu Alhassan, said drama offers students opportunities to explore their abilities in many ways, including developing companionship, building confidence and learning to advocate for positive social change.
“Drama is a powerful tool that can be used to solve social problems. Through this festival, we want students to appreciate our culture and norms and positively influence their communities,” she said.
According to Dr Alhassan, the festival was a revival of an initiative that began in the 1990s and brought teachers and students together under one umbrella to use drama and theatre to address community problems and promote culture.
She noted that reviving the event would help the country reflect on areas that require improvement while nurturing students into future advocates and leaders.
“When it comes to advocacy, students often do it better than adults. We want to train them to become actors of future advocacy who will in turn nurture others from generation to generation and preserve our values and cultural norms,” she said.
She said StuDraFest forms part of students’ extra-curricular activities and would expose them to drama, visual arts and other performing arts disciplines.
Dr Alhassan added that there was ample evidence that children thrive in vast learning environments and that participation in drama helps overcome timidity, opens their minds and improves their confidence.
She noted that initiatives such as StuDraFest could have been effectively used during the COVID-19 pandemic to educate communities and promote behavioural change.
The Regional Director urged patrons to dedicate themselves to training their students adequately to ensure impressive performances during the competition.
StuDraFest is designed to enable students to write, direct and perform original plays aimed at preserving, developing, promoting and disseminating Ghana’s cultural heritage, fostering national unity, shaping the identity and future of the youth, creating wealth and projecting Ghana’s identity globally.
The Head of Performing and Literary Arts at the CNC, Mr Emmanuel Nyarko, took patrons through the competition guidelines, requirements and awards to be presented based on the performances of participating schools.
A workshop was also organised for participating schools to equip them with the necessary information on the competition.
A total of 11 Senior High Schools are expected to participate in the Eastern regional contest. They include Pope John’s Senior High School, Oti Boateng Senior High School, Oyoko Senior High School and Koforidua Senior High Technical School, among others.
The competition is scheduled to take place on July 23 at the main auditorium of the Centre for National Culture in Koforidua.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua
The Accra Regional Police Command has arrested five people and retrieved firearms, ammunition and other offensive items during an intelligence led operation at Sapeiman Faase in the Greater Accra Region.
According to a press release issued by the Command on Monday, the operation was carried out jointly with the National Police Intelligence Directorate (NPID) on July 17, 2026.
The Police identified the suspects as Torgbui Agah Semaglo, 50, Shadrach Agah Semaglo, 22, William Kweku Sedanu, 21, Cyril Kassenu, 26, and Kingsford Agah Semaglo, 18.
The Command said a search at the suspects’ premises led to the retrieval of a pump action gun, a Stoeger ST R9 pistol, a dummy Austria pistol, a jackknife, a face mask, 12 BB cartridges, three rounds of 9mm ammunition, one AK-47 round of ammunition, a talisman and two kitchen knives.
It noted that all the items had been kept as exhibits to support investigations.
The Police said preliminary investigations suggested that the suspects were members of a criminal group involved in armed robbery and landguard activities.
It alleged that they used the recovered weapons to terrorise residents in Sapeiman and nearby communities.
The suspects are currently in Police custody assisting with investigations, while efforts continue to determine their involvement in other robbery cases and related criminal activities. The Police also said it was working to identify and arrest any additional accomplices.
The Accra Regional Police Command commended members of the public for providing credible information that supported its work and urged residents to remain vigilant.
It encouraged the public to report suspicious persons or activities to the nearest police station or through the Police emergency numbers, adding that it remained committed to protecting lives and property across the region.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced that a revised national curriculum for kindergarten to junior high school will be presented to the Ministry of Education on Wednesday for further approval.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series today, Mr. Iddrisu said the new curriculum was developed by the National Curriculum Assessment Agency (NaCCA) as part of efforts to improve teaching and learning at the basic education level.
According to him, the revised curriculum will be formally submitted to the Ministry before it is forwarded to President John Dramani Mahama. He added that it will then be sent to Cabinet and Parliament for consideration and approval.
Mr. Iddrisu said the revised curriculum is designed to support a “Smart Start” approach by strengthening the teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
He explained that the government intends to introduce new subjects, including coding, electronics, artificial intelligence (AI) and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), into the basic school curriculum.
The Minister said the changes form part of the government’s commitment to equipping pupils with practical and digital skills needed to meet the demands of the modern world.
He expressed confidence that the revised curriculum would help prepare learners for future opportunities by integrating technology and innovation into education from the early years of schooling.
By: Jacob Aggrey
