MUSIC EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS
Among the various lessons taken at the schools include music and art. This provides an opportunity for the learners to develop their musical and artistry abilities as well as improve their creative capacities. However, there has been controversy over this subject where there have been recommendations that it should be scrapped from the syllabus. In fact, the budgets have been cut where less money is allocated to music studies. This controversial issue of scrapping music from the curriculum is the subject of this essay as it seeks to dissect the rational behind this move. This essay seeks to prove that music should remain a school subject.
First of all, this essay disagrees with the move to scrap music studies since it is a vocation like any other, and can be used by an individual to achieve economic stability. Similarly, music helps to discipline individuals so that they can become productive members of the society (Guth, 1). Therefore, depriving talented individuals the chance to develop their talent can be quite unfair to them. Therefore, the discipline should be promoted rather than put down,
Schools are supposed to nurture the talents and strengths that individuals have. Therefore, these institutions should be geared towards realizing the talents in the learners and nurturing these talents to maturity. Levy (1) observes that performance in music at school was much better than other subjects. This means that probably the individuals are more interested in musical studies. Therefore, rather than scraping it from the syllabus. It would be in the interests of the students if the subject is upheld. Otherwise, the education system would be held responsible for inhibiting the interests of the learners. Schools should not limit the scope of the learners. They should open up the avenues for them to achieve their dreams. As such, scrapping music studies is not a way of opening these channels, but it is a sure way of inhibiting the learners.
Children’s Music Workshop (1) observes that music is academic, physical, emotional and a lifetime affair. As such, when children are involved in musical activities, they benefit in all aspects of their lives. Eliminating music studies from the syllabus is therefore a way of limiting the children’s development activities. This should not be the case. If schools advocate for physical education and physical exercises, then there is no reason as to why music should be sidelined. After all, both do serve the same purpose in the lives of the learners. There is also a logical reason as to why music should be retained. If the famous celebrities and music idols never learnt something about music at school, then it not clear what kind music the world would be having today.
There is also the other side of music studies. In as much as it is important for the development of the students, musical information is available from various sources. Therefore, it does not have to be offered necessarily at school. The individuals can get musical information at home, through the internet, from the radios as well as the televisions. Furthermore, there are music schools that teach music as a profession. As such, it should be taken as a vocational training, not a school subject. Therefore, those interested in music can go through their foundation studies then proceed to take music later as their profession. This eliminates the need for having music as an entertainment in my view>▪︎<
