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MU Responds to Government Announcement of Continued Music Education Hub Investment

This announcement provides welcome relief to those working in music education. However, it does not redress Local Authority cuts or the sidelining of music education in the curriculum.

Published: 18 November 2016 | 12:00 AM Updated: 28 April 2021 | 4:28 PM

The announcement of continued investment into Music Education Hubs for a further four years will provide welcome relief to those working in music education.

Especially for those who have struggled in recent years by not knowing what their future funding arrangements are likely to be.

The Musicians' Union (MU) is also pleased that the Government has acknowledged the importance of both access and opportunity to music making opportunities for all children, regardless of whether they can afford it or not, as these are issues that we have continually lobbied on and raised through our annual Hub Report.

However, this funding announcement does not redress Local Authority cuts which have resulted in many music services making their teachers redundant or reducing terms and conditions and the detrimental impact this has had on the music teaching workforce.

Neither does it address the fact that music has been sidelined within the core curriculum for schools because of the Ebacc, and fewer students are being offered it at a subject at KS3 and above.

Music teachers continue to deliver amazing work in often quite challenging circumstances (as seen at the Music for Youth Proms this week) and the MU celebrates this.

However, we urge the Department of Education and Arts Council England (ACE) to challenge those Music Education Hubs that are struggling to deliver their core objectives and to allow alternative organisations to bid in an open and transparent process to lead them if appropriate.

We also ask that those teachers who have come together to form alternative models of working , such as the Music Teacher Co-operatives, are supported as the Government's plan needs a skilled workforce to deliver it. 

For more information contact Diane Widdison, MU National Organiser for Education & Training via diane.widdison@theMU.org.

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