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Press Release: Stop Press Stop Music Stop Everything

News: Trials before major changes to music service in schools


Hon JANE LOMAX-SMITH MP
Minister for Education & Children's Services
Minister for Tourism
Minister for the City of Adelaide
Contact details

August 14, 2007

Education Minister Jane Lomax-Smith has requested that the Education Department sit down with music groups to find common ground on measures to improve music education for South Australian school children.



Dr Lomax-Smith confirmed the department would not implement major changes to the delivery of South Australia’s $7.5 million instrumental music education program before trials of the proposed measures are completed next year.



The Minister welcomed a reported call in today’s Advertiser by the Music Council of Australia that changes should be trialled before modifying the existing instrumental music program. The government announced in June that proposed changes would first be trialled.



“A collaborative approach to working with music teachers and schools to trial these new approaches is exactly what we want to see happen,” Dr Lomax-Smith says.



The Minister today announced funding would be made available to support schools which volunteered to test elements of the proposed new measures.



The funds will mean:


*
Up to 20 primary and secondary schools to trial new approaches in Year 5 whole class instrumental teaching and group tuition of Year 6 to 10 students
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Research into creating better opportunities to involve children in Reception to Year 4 in music education
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Maintenance of the existing instrumental music program while the trials are carried out, with any new measures being gradually introduced over five year
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An advisory group of music educators and departmental experts overseeing the trials and working with music education groups on improving the overall program


“Ensuring skilled young people achieve excellence in music, while more children also have the opportunity to discover music, is clearly what communities want.



“The instrumental music program has served many children well over 30 years, but clearly we can do better.



“Indeed, the proposals are in line with a National Review of School Music which showed that ‘music education in Australian schools is at a critical point where prompt action is needed to right the inequalities in school music’.



“I have asked the department to involve music education groups in a collaborative approach to working out how best we can achieve the shared aims of equity and excellence.”



Revamping the music education program was proposed by an independent review, to open the door to thousands more children learning instrumental music, while also enabling skilled students to excel through specialist music support at the State’s four Special Music Schools.



“As a government, we want to ensure there is a fairer access to music education for young people in our schools.



“At the same time, if more young people have access to instrumental music, it broadens the pool of talented young people who may choose to go on to excel in a particular field of music.



“However, there are clearly differing views, with some teachers opposed to any changes that may be proposed in this and the national agenda.


“We want schools to try out the new approaches. By working together, a common sense way forward can be found that ensures the program continues to foster excellence in instrumental music, while also ensuring greater equity of access for children.”