Learning by Ear – Jobs and Education

Radionovela: Studying at University – The Story of Malaika / Episode One

Learning by Ear – Jobs and Education

Studying at University- The Story of Malaika / Episode 01

Author: Njoki C. Muhoho

Redaktion: Maja Dreyer

CHARACTERS:
Announcer - Adult
Malaika - She is a 19 year-old-girl who has just completed and
passed her primary school final examinations.
Ms Grace - She is 52-years-old. Malaika’s teacher and mentor.
Auntie Tizo - She is 64-years-old. Malaika’s paternal aunt. She is older
than her brother, Elder Nathan. She is bold and daring
and has very little formal education.
Elder Nathan - He is 60-years-old and is Malaika’s father. He is set in his
traditional ways.
Mama Rose - She is 45-years-old and is Malaika’s mother. She is a
traditional wife who believes in obedience.
Elder - He is the 82-year-old village senior elder.
Group of Elders: - voice 1
- voice 2 (only one sentence each)

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Learning by Ear – Jobs and Education
Radionovela: Studying at University – The Story of Malaika / Episode One

INTRO

MUSIC: THEME MUSIC

1. ANNOUNCER Hello and welcome to another edition of

“Learning by Ear”. This series deals with jobs
and education. In the coming six episodes you
will learn about university education, what you
need to do to get you there and how to
manage your studies. Come with us and let’s
hear how History has been made in Kanunga
village. It’s the dawn of a new era for a girl
who has excelled in her secondary school
examinations, beating all the boys by a long
way. But what will her future hold?

SCENE 1: KANUNAGE VILLAGE. ELDER NATHAN’S

HOMESTEAD.

SFX: AFRICAN VILLAGE SOUNDS; BIRDS, COWS ETC.

2. ELDER NATHAN Malaika, my daughter, you have made me a

rich man. Your dowry will now increase by 10
cows.

3. MALAIKA (very excited)

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Learning by Ear – Jobs and Education
Radionovela: Studying at University – The Story of Malaika / Episode One

I knew I would pass but not this well.. Teacher

Grace, are you sure?

4. MS GRACE (excited)

As sure as the sun will rise again tomorrow!

You are the best student I have ever had.

5. MAMA ROSE But what good is education for a girl? It will only
bring you problems, my daughter!

SFX: IMPATIENT TAPPING OF A CANE AGAINST A HARD

SURFACE

6. ELDER NATHAN Ah, Problems... Women, stop talking! Start

looking for suitors.

7. MS GRACE Oh, Elder Nathan, not suitors but suitcases.

8. ELDER NATHAN Do husbands come in suitcases these days?

9. MALAIKA For college father. I am going to university.

SFX: ABRUPT RUSTLING OF CLOTHING AND FURNITURE

10. ELDER NATHAN You are what? Other girls of your age are
already mothers! Anyway how did the
university find you?

11. MALAIKA I found it, father, with the help of Teacher

Grace.

12. ELDER NATHAN Teacher Grace, what did you do?

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Learning by Ear – Jobs and Education
Radionovela: Studying at University – The Story of Malaika / Episode One

13. MS GRACE I went to the education offices in the city and

picked up the government university
application forms. Then, just to make sure our
chances are as good as possible, I used the
internet in the local town to get application
forms from all of the local private universities.

14. ELDER NATHAN You should not have put such wild ideas into
her head! You.. (is interrupted)

SOUND APPROACHING VOICE AND SOUNDS OF

ANTIE TIZO ULULATING AND SINGING

15. AUNTIE TIZO ...ALLILLILILLILLIII... The village sings praise,

praise for our daughter! A song for our girl! A
girl who beats everyone including the boys...
ALLILLILLLILLLII!!!

16. ELDER NATHAN Sister Tizo, stop praising her! She wants to go
to .. to... to... university.

17. AUNTIE TIZO (EXCITED) My brother, it is a pity that I was not

born a man, otherwise, I would have been
your elder brother and I would have asked you
to shut up.

18. ELDER NATHAN Is anyone listening to me? Mama Rose, go

call the elders. We have to find a suitor before
this madness eats her brain.

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Learning by Ear – Jobs and Education
Radionovela: Studying at University – The Story of Malaika / Episode One

19. MAMA ROSE My child, listen to the wisdom of your father.

20. MALAIKA But I want to study Agricultural Engineering.

21. AUNTIE TIZO Isn't that for men?

22. MS GRACE Today, girls can follow any career they want
to. Look at me, when I was made
headteacher most people thought a woman
should never be a headteacher. Haven't I
done well... and I have even produced the
best student ever?

23. ELDER NATHAN (aggressively)

Stop, Stop! We do not even have enough

money. The crops have failed, the cows are
not producing milk and the soil is just getting
worse....

24. MALAIKA Father, that is why I must study agriculture. I

will make the soil better, the cows will produce
more milk and…

25. AUNTIE TIZO My brother, summon the Elders’ Council, we

have a girl to send to university.

26. ELDER NATHAN Yes, the council must urgently find us a suitor.

MUSIC BRIDGE

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Learning by Ear – Jobs and Education
Radionovela: Studying at University – The Story of Malaika / Episode One

SCENE 2: ELDERS’ GATHERING

SFX: EARLY EVENING SOUNDS OF AFRICA. CRICKETS, COWS

BEING MILKED AND A CRACKING FIRE.

26.A ELDERS VOICES ARE HEARD MURMURING.

27. ANNOUNCER The elders have come together, as they

always do, to solve the challenges of their
people. The debate has been going on for a
while. Now, a decision must be made.

28. ELDER Attention, attention. We have concluded, that

when the young lady receives more
education, she will then be worth more dowry.
Elder Nathan, you can wait a few more years
and we will get more…

28.A ELDERS: HUM OF AGREEMENT

29.ELDER NATHAN But you and I do not have any money.

University is expensive. Now the harvest has
failed, the cows have….

30. ELDER (interrupts)

Have you already forgotten that one hand

cannot kill a louse?

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Learning by Ear – Jobs and Education
Radionovela: Studying at University – The Story of Malaika / Episode One

(to all the elders) Go, call everyone. Ask them

to bring their contributions. We are going to

hold a fund raiser.

30.A ELDERS: CLAPPING AND HUM OF AGREEMENT

MUSIC BRIDGE

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Learning by Ear – Jobs and Education
Radionovela: Studying at University – The Story of Malaika / Episode One

SCENE 3: THE VILLAGE OPEN GROUNDS – THE FUNDRAISER

31. ANNOUNCER The day has come when the villagers are
called to contribute money to enable their girl
to go to the university. They do it the way
they know best, by auctioning their meagre
belongings.

32. ELDER One rooster. It crows loud and clear every

sunrise. I say 100 shillings.

33. VOICE 1 One hundred and twenty

34. ELDER I say not less than one hundred and fifty.
University education is not cheap

35. VOICE 2 Two hundred.

36. ELDER That’s better, 200 once, 200 twice,…

SOUND: WOODEN HAMMER HITTING A TABLE.

37. ELDER Sold. Next: a bag of maize. I say 20 Shillings,

who’s got more to offer? (voice fades away)

38. ANNOUNCER No matter how willing they are, auctioning

their few chickens and produce does not get
them even close to their target. They have to
find another solution.

SOUND: COUNTING OF COINS

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Learning by Ear – Jobs and Education
Radionovela: Studying at University – The Story of Malaika / Episode One

39. MS GRACE (DISAPPOINTEDLY) It is not enough.

40. MALAIKA (Sniffling, sorrowfully) What do we do now?

41. MS GRACE God will provide.

42. AUNTIE TIZO (to Ms Grace) Teacher Grace, I have seen

you going to the bank every so often.

43. MS GRACE (cautiously) Yes. And?

44. AUNTIE TIZO (FIRMLY) Give us a loan, please.

45. MALAIKA (excited)

Please, please teacher. I will work for you. I

will work during the holidays... I will….

46. MS GRACE That will be a lot of work!

47. MALAIKA I promise. I will apply what I learn, to the land

of the village. The harvest will improve, then
we all pay you back. So, everyone... everyone
wins: the village gets a harvest, you get your
best student to university and I get to study
agriculture.

48. MS GRACE God does indeed provide.

MUSIC

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Learning by Ear – Jobs and Education
Radionovela: Studying at University – The Story of Malaika / Episode One

OUTRO

49. ANNOUNCER

Malaika has overcome her first two key challenges. Her father has
been persuaded that she can go to university and get married later.
She has also been given a loan to pay for her first term at the
university. She now has the challenge of finding her way in the big
city and then studying hard to give back to her community, what it has
so generously given her. Will Malaika rise to the challenge?

SHORT MUSIC BRIDGE

Part 2 – Interview

Intro Part 2

You will find out about how the story of Malaika continues in the next
episode of our Learning by Ear program on university education. But
stay tuned now! - in our upcoming interview you will hear how to
apply for studies at university and what the necessary criteria are.
Our reporter Julius Kanubah talked to Herman B. Brown, vice
president for academic affairs at the African Methodist Episcopal
University in Monrovia, Liberia:

Interview

Outro Part 2

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Learning by Ear – Jobs and Education
Radionovela: Studying at University – The Story of Malaika / Episode One

That was Herman B. Brown talking to our reporter Julius Kanubah.

And that was all from Malaika and studying at university for today.
The story, of course, continues. So don’t forget to tune in next time.
You can also visit our website at WWW DOT DWWORLD DOT DE
FORWARD SLASH LBE for more information. There you can send us
your comments on the series and listen to more programmes from
Learning by Ear. Goodbye for now.

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