DECS proposed Instrumental Music model compounds disadvantage

Instrumental Music funding and jobs were saved though union member campaign, but DECS wants to implement a new model for delivering instrumental music that will cease opportunities for students to learn from Year 3 and begin instead at Year 5 learning an instrument as a whole class.

While DECS asserts that the evidence is that students learn musical instruments better as a large group no one can be sure about exactly what circumstances that might be the case.

Instrumental Music Teachers’ professional judgment is that that the more time spent with a qualified music teacher on an instrument the greater the student’s capacity to learn. Small classes improve student learning outcomes.

DECS want to reduce secondary students’ access to Instrumental Music by 20% every year until nothing is left – forcing students wishing to continue studies in an instrument to pay for private tuition - during the school day. This will make it tough for secondary students to satisfactorily complete their music component of SACE.

This is not only socially unjust; it is a breach of the contract between the Public Education system and students and parents for the government must ensure the provision of a broad and comprehensive curriculum is accessible by all. Under DECS’ flawed model Parents will pay for public education music twice - once through state and federal taxes and second through instrumental music tuition fees.

Specialist Music Schools have been quarantined for the moment at least, which is a relief for those metro based students who can at least attend one of the four specialist music schools in the state.

While some might herald the announcement of a scholarship for country music students, it won’t take long for country parents to realise that a music teacher shortage has implications for the quality of music tuition. City students get at least some access to registered and qualified teachers. Country kids are likely to be taught by unqualified, unregistered tutors without police checks.

DECS has lost its way. Too many middle level bureaucrats too long out of the classroom (if indeed they’ve had any education background at all) are calling the shots without a focus on student learning outcomes or understanding of teaching.

DECS is attempting to censor education department employee critics exercising their professional judgment about the educational value of this new model with threats of disciplinary action.

DECS’s crash through or crash approach is a disgrace.

Open debate, critical analysis and reflection

As bureaucrats and bean counters attempt their mealy minded public service takeover of public education the only antidote are educators with strength of character and commitment to students to begin to challenge the DECS bureaucracy with professional and open debate based on critical analysis and reflection.

We should always be asking ourselves what is the best for our students learning? What is the best for our profession? What and who is hindering? What and who is helping?

Whose interest and what purpose do we serve when we unquestioningly act or implement any matter in our preschools and schools? Students? Educators? Departmental Bureaucrats? State Government? Federal Government?

Professional and critical debate and reflection in every public education forum and meeting from the site to the centre is not just our right, it is our responsibility. Committed educators everywhere must ensure that the Public Education system remains focused what is best for students as opposed to what is best for AAA credit ratings or what is best for populist politics.