Inquiry Report Backs our Call for Quality Music Education in NSW
Alberts I The Tony Foundation’s Music Education: Right from the Start initiative welcomes yesterday’s official report by the Joint Select Committee on Arts and Music Education and Training in NSW.
One of the Committee’s key findings is that quality, sequential, and ongoing music learning is essential for all students in NSW primary schools. The Committee's recommendations to deliver on this finding strongly align with those put forward by our initiative and others across the music and education sectors.
This is most apparent in Recommendation 12 (pages 63-64), to develop a Music Education Plan to support the delivery of quality, sequential and ongoing music education in New South Wales primary schools, which includes:
· Setting an explicit standard as to what constitutes quality, sequential and ongoing music education
· Mandating a minimum amount of music education per week up to Stage 4 with a teacher (generalist or specialist) confident and capable of delivering quality music learning
· Setting ambitious targets for statewide access to primary music education
· Mandatory reporting and data collection of the delivery of music education
· Mandatory biennial reporting on progress in implementing the quality music education plan.
With the NSW Government committed to responding to the report by 12 March 2025, we will now be working with our partners to examine the report in greater detail.
We are committed to working with the NSW Government to ensure these recommendations move from planning into action, with the concept of quality, sequential and ongoing music learning moving beyond paper and into the classroom.
We will also soon release the state’s first research on the quality of music education across the government primary school system, in partnership with the NSW Department of Education and the NSW Teachers Federation, and funded by Sound NSW. This will set a baseline for ongoing improvement and illuminate the committee’s findings.
We would like to express our thanks to Julia Finn, Committee Chair, and the Committee members for their consideration and willingness to engage with the music and music education community throughout this inquiry.
Emily Albert, Executive Director, Alberts and head of Music Education: Right from the Start said:
“We welcome the committee's report, and take the prioritisation of quality, sequential and ongoing music learning as a ringing endorsement of its benefits for students and teachers.
The stark gaps in equal delivery of music education and the systemic change needed to address the shortfalls are now well documented.
We strongly urge the NSW Government to embrace these recommendations and consider longer-term planning alongside shorter-term action. This includes allocating the funding and resources required to meet and exceed expectations.”
