Music classes made optional in schools

The Ministry of Education yesterday announced that it would be optional for schoolchildren in Bahrain to learn music in local schools, a Ministry's source said here yesterday.

The source said that the decision came as a response by the Minister of Education Dr. Mohammed Al Ghatam to calls by parents "who have asked to stop teaching music to their children."

Music classes, which have been an integral part of the government primary schools curriculum, are to become elective, the ministry said in a statement a copy of which was received by Gulf News yesterday.

Students will now have the option to choose the activity course they like, instead of being obliged to study music, the Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Services, Mohammed Al Jowder, said.

"We will offer other educational activates and vocational courses to stimulate students skills in the elementary and the intermediate stages," he added.

Parents from the Refaa region in central Bahrain are "devout Muslims who didn't want their children to get music lessons," an official at the ministry told Gulf News. "Certainly, it was for religious reasons," the official said.

"We should raise the awareness of parents. Music is very important to their children's education and everyday life. It helps develop balanced young people and boost their sense of patriotism and social responsibility," the prominent singer Huda Abdullah told Gulf News.

"I wish if just those parents knew how music makes their children more affectionate and loving human beings, especially toward their parents," Huda, who works also as a music teacher, said pointing out that the ministry had not asked teachers about their opinion on the subject.

"Parents are increasingly interfering in their children's educational wishes. I don't believe this is right," she said.

Journalist Ahmed Al Sa'ati supports the decision. "This is democracy... If they don't want their children to get music lessons so be it," he said.

"But in the meantime, the ministry must educate students themselves about the benefits of music. They should know that there are many Muslim scholars who said there is no harm to learn music," he added.