ARTICLE 3 : EDUCATION; The music is getting fainter

2009/09/10

ALKUT, Kota Baru
JOE Chelliah of Seremban has highlighted a very serious problem with our education system.
The emphasis given to the examination subjects at the expense of non-examination subjects can have serious repercussions on our society.

In their enthusiasm to collect As in examinations, many school administrators have lost sight of the actual philosophy behind our National Education Policy.

Many non-examination subjects, including the Arts, which do not contribute to the As but are actually essential to the social and cultural development of the child, have been relegated to the status of second-class subjects.



This is perhaps one of the reasons why many of our people -- though highly educated in their own fields -- are selfish, coarse, lacking in finesse, empathy, creativity, teamwork spirit and other elements essential to a cross-cultural country like ours.

Educational administrators need to be reminded that schools have a fundamental obligation to provide the students with these tools.

Not implementing the syllabus as required by National Education Policy should be considered as an act of sabotage.

As Chelliah points out, in many schools, music is hardly taught according to the syllabus. The only time the schools are seriously involved in music is when there is a compulsory music competition or events that require some sort of musical performance.

For the rest of the time, music is ignored and left to the devices of the music teachers.

In the hands of a good music teacher, there should be sounds of music, singing, movements, playing of instruments and laughter.

Music should be a fun time. But for most schools, this is not true.

Part of the fault lies with the music teachers themselves.

Many are ill-equipped and do not have the basic musical skills to teach. In some schools however, trained and skilled teachers in music are often reassigned to other subjects of more importance.

In their places are teachers with no knowledge or musical skills.

These teachers are there just to fill in the timetable. Many music classes are at the mercy of such teachers.

The general assumption is that any teacher can teach music as it is a non-examination subject.

Try walking around some of the primary schools in your neighbourhood. Do you hear faint, distant sounds of music, singing, noise or laughter coming from the music room or the classes? Probably not.

If music is taught at all, it would be a silent job. Many of the music teachers would probably be doing theory, i.e copying of musical notes, with occasional singing using CDs or cassettes. A random check would also reveal that the Year Six classes for music have probably been replaced by examination subjects.

In some schools, it starts as early as Year Five. It is sad, but this is the reality of music in many of our schools.

Comment:
According to this article, I really agree if all the school in Malaysia have co-curriculum and additional subject for their students. That is not to only for enjoy but we need to appreciate the music. We need to feel happy, freedom and enjoy in our life. Actually for the children when they all are growing up we need to support them and give they time to feel the real meaning of music. The last but not least,music classes should be a time of fun for students