Getting in tune with music education

MUSIC education bestows many benefits on a child’s performance in school. In Malaysia, music was first introduced as a compulsory subject in primary schools in 1983. Over the years the curriculum has changed with music being a component of arts education, taking only 30 minutes of one-hour slots in primary schools.

This has impacted the teaching and learning of music in schools and will further impact the intake of students and music education at the tertiary level. UPSI Faculty of Music and Performing Arts lecturer and skills for school readiness.

For example, he said, music is inter-related to intellectual thinking, social and emotional behaviour, language and literacy.

“It helps the body and mind to work together. Exposing children to music during early development helps them to learn sounds and meanings of words,” said Mohd Hassan.

“Many studies found that music helps a young child develop cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains. Research found that learning music facilitates learning other things and enhances skills that children inevitably use in other areas.

“Musical training physically develops the left side of the brain known to be involved with processing language. So learning music early in life is very important to every child.”

At UPSI, a lot of effort including talks, conferences, workshops and publications has gone into creating awareness of music education.

“However, the current education system in the country focuses on other subjects especially those which include informal summative examinations such as science, mathematics and English language.

“Music is a non-exam subject which is often treated as an unimportant component in the education system. We have to put more effort into advocating music education for the Malaysian citizen.”

Ramona added that many fail to realise that music education is an important educational area which can no longer be nurtured at schools.

“Trainers lack experience and skills in music as a result of limited exposure to the subject. Institutions of higher learning may face a decline in the recruitment of music students as a result.”

Music helps a young child develop cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains.

MOHD HASSAN ABDULLAH

of a music education programme in schools is not what we expected of the curriculum.

“The policy to shorten the teaching period of the music subject in primary schools made it worse. What can pupils learn in 30 minutes per week?

“Some schools use this time for other ‘important’ exam subjects. Furthermore, in some schools, non-music major teachers teach the subject, while some music teachers do not teach the subject in schools at all.”

He added: “The aim of the curriculum is to equip students with knowledge and skills to develop their self-potential in creativity, critical and innovative thinking as well as appreciate the beauty of art and cultural heritage.

“But with a time limit, I don’t think the primary school music curriculum will be able to develop a career path in music education for pupils.

“However, learning music at private centres is different from learning it at school. Music centres nurture performance skills in students. This can develop a career path in music.”

The oldest music faculty in the country, UiTM celebrated its 34th anniversary this year. Ramona, who was former Faculty of Music dean, said the faculty began as the Department of Music under the School of Art and Design in 1984.

However, music has been a part of UiTM history since 1980 when it was offered as an elective subject. Subsequently, the School of Art and Design submitted a proposal to offer the Advanced Diploma in Music equivalent to a general degree.

“This course was approved by the ministry on June 21,1983, and the first cohort of students enrolled in 1984 under the Department of Music, School of Art and Design.

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