Portugal: music teaching in public conservatories to end for most pupils
The Portuguese Teachers' Association, and Parents' and Students' Associations are protesting against the closure of Portugal's public conservatories of music.
Measures taken by Mr Socrates's government, in particular by the Minister for Education, Mrs Rodrigues, will put an end to the teaching of music in the public conservatories for most of their current pupils.
Only students aged between 10 and 18 who choose to specialise in music with the aim of making it a career will be eligible to continue their studies.
But those who wish to receive a serious musical education while studying the normal curriculum, as well as pupils aged under 6 or over 18, will be forced to look to private music schools for their education.
The measure deals a fatal blow to public specialised music teaching, music initiation for 6- to 10-year olds (5 hours/week including one hour individual instrument tuition), vocal tuition (which only begins at the age of 17 or over), the freedom to choose a profession as well as the general public's right to education and culture (private music schools are very expensive).
The minister has responded to the justifiable indignation of the professionals and stakeholders in the music teaching, publicly stating her contempt towards the teachers, many of whom are well-known soloists, and accusing those who have challenged the nature of her reforms of lying.
This reform will destroy a system but proposes no serious alternative in a country whose educational system is already underdeveloped culturally. Its main aim is to cut costs in a public education system that already finds itself at the bottom of European ranking tables.
A petition is currently circulating in protest against the measure:
http://www.petitiononline.com/CFEEMP/petition.html
Contact and information: paisconservatorio@gmail.com
http://www.sosconservatorios-portugal.blogspot.com/
