Imposed music classes under fire
Obliging students to take up music courses in high schools or universities is a violation of their rights, a Kuwaiti rights activist has said.
Manama: Obliging students to take up music courses in high schools or universities is a violation of their rights, a Kuwaiti rights activist has said.
"Requiring students to study music and adding music courses to the curriculum with effects on their passing chances is a violation of the parents' rights in choosing the adequate education for their children and in upholding their culture and beliefs," Adel Al Damkhi, the head of the Kuwaiti Society of the Constituents of Human Rights, said.
"The education ministry must freeze its decision to impose music lessons and to replace them with other courses that enhance the students' learning skills and help achieve the overall aims of the state in educating people."
According to the activist, the ministry's decision is a violation of Articles 2, 6 and 9 of the Kuwaiti constitution. Last week, Mohammad Hayef Al Mutairi, a Kuwaiti lawmaker, threatened to take action against Dr Moudi Al Humoud, the education and higher studies minister, for imposing music classes in schools.
"The minister and the government should be ashamed of the deterioration of our education levels if music becomes a core course and parents are forced to buy music instruments for their children," Al Mutairi, a former teacher, said.
