The cultural complex of Ghali in Casablanca recently hosted the National Theater Improvisation Festival for Middle Schools, culminating in a vibrant showcase of talent on Tuesday. This event, organized by the Ministry of National Education, Preschool Education, and Sports in partnership with the Ali Zaoua Foundation, brought together 24 teams from across the country, all of which had qualified through regional and district competitions, to engage in a series of theatrical improvisation matches that highlighted the skills of students in oral and physical expression, listening, spontaneity, creativity, and teamwork.
Following intense deliberations by the judging panel, the team "Nabd Al-Houma" representing the Souss-Massa region was awarded the gold medal in the first-year category. They surpassed the team "Alaash La" from the Casablanca-Settat region, which secured the silver medal. The bronze medal was shared between two teams: "Al-Qarasin" from the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region and "Al-Jara" from the Marrakech-Safi region.
In the second-year category, the team "Tifawin for Improvisation" from the Guelmim-Oued Noun region clinched the gold medal, while the silver medal went to the "Fursan Ain Asrddoun" team from the Beni Mellal-Khenifra region. The third-place position was equally divided between the teams "Al-Nahda" from the East region and "Bnat Al-Bahja" from Marrakech-Safi.
Additionally, the judging panel awarded Yahya Zouzeri and Youssef Tawaf the titles of Best Improviser in their respective categories, while Hiba Azdar and Wahiba Al-Omrani received accolades for the Best Improvised Performances in both categories.
Over the course of three days, participating teams presented performances that garnered praise for their artistic quality and the imagination and creativity they exhibited. The various improvisational challenges allowed the participants to showcase their stage presence, adaptability, and spirit of teamwork, all within a competitive atmosphere marked by a high artistic standard.
In a statement to the Moroccan News Agency, the National Coordinator for Extracurricular Activities at the Ministry, Mubarak Mazin, emphasized that this competition represents a culmination of a pedagogical journey that has taken place throughout the academic year within institutions involved in the "Middle Schools of Leadership" program. He elaborated that theater improvisation contributes to the development of several key competencies among students, particularly self-confidence, effective oral expression, active listening, teamwork, and creativity. This initiative aligns with the ministry's drive to inject new energy into extracurricular activities.
Furthermore, Safaa Ammarti, Director of Communication and Partnerships at the Ali Zaoua Foundation, underscored that this festival caps off a year of artistic engagement that has benefited thousands of middle school students across various regions of the kingdom. She praised the quality of performances delivered during the national finals and highlighted that the partnership between the Ali Zaoua Foundation and the ministry reflects a shared vision aimed at using art as a vehicle for education, integration, and personal development, thereby enabling youth to enhance their creative abilities, critical thinking, and human skills.
The performances were evaluated by a judging panel that included artists Saad Mowafaq and Sandia Taj Al-Din, both of whom commended the artistic level of the teams, their creativity, and their ability to construct original scenes, as well as their mastery of theatrical improvisation techniques.
In addition to its competitive aspect, this festival represented the culmination of a year of artistic engagement within public middle schools in the kingdom, under the "Middle Schools of Leadership" program, which positions theatrical improvisation as a genuine pedagogical tool to enhance expression, collaboration, self-confidence, critical thinking, and personal growth. For the 2025-2026 academic year, the program will encompass a total of 786 public middle schools across various regions of the kingdom, benefiting approximately 677,000 students. Furthermore, it has trained 23,000 teachers in cinema and theatrical improvisation, reflecting the ambitions of the Ministry of National Education and the Ali Zaoua Foundation to utilize artistic practices as a lever for education, integration, and the flourishing of future generations.
As reported by machahid24.com.
