Michael Ring
Ceist:175 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science if it is compulsory for a primary school child to take music lessons in school, particularly as the lessons must be paid for by the child's parents. [6198/02]
Vol. 549 No. 2
175 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science if it is compulsory for a primary school child to take music lessons in school, particularly as the lessons must be paid for by the child's parents. [6198/02]
Music forms part of the revised primary school curriculum and schools are obliged to provide music instruction for their pupils. Boards of management of primary schools are expected to employ fully qualified teachers, able to teach all aspects of the curriculum including music. As a result there should be no need to employ the services of a music instructor to provide music lessons during school time. Should a music teacher be employed, however, such a teacher should act as assistant to the class teacher. The class teacher should be fully aware of the planned content of lessons and should be present at all times during the lessons so that he-she will be in a position to expand on the content in the absence of the outside teacher.