Education Secretary pledges $173m for music education

UK – The Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, has announced that £82.5m (the equivalent to NZ$173m) will be given to music services across England next year.

Gove has responded to Darren Henley’s review into music in schools with a pledge to end the ‘musical divide’ between wealthier children with access to great musical education and children in disadvantaged areas.

The money will be used to make opportunity more equal in music education and enhance the prestige and esteem of music teaching as a career route for professional musicians.

The Government will publish a national plan for music education later this year and will take forward the recommendations for schools to create more opportunities for live music and for pupils to be able to join in vocal and musical ensembles outside the classroom.

Gove said, “Music has the power to touch the soul and is a universal language understood by people of every culture. Access to musical education and instrument tuition is not shared equally; that is why I am delighted to announce and ensure that the money will go to the front line.”