Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
Supersonic value. Subscribe for £13.99 and receive a free Oasis collector’s issue.
Subscribe today
News

Members push SNP politicians for free music tuition in schools

They called for politicians to address the 100,000 children missing out on music lessons in Scotland because of cost

Group Of Students Playing In School Orchestra Together

SNP members want ministers to fund free music tuition for all children in Scotland – and have tabled a motion ahead of the party conference next month.

With 25 of 32 Scottish local authorities charging for music lessons, children from disadvantaged backgrounds are being forced to give up their music education.

Now signatories including Joan McAlpine, MSP and convenor of Holyrood’s culture committee, have put pressure on ministers to address the inequality in music tuition. Last month a report showed as many as 100,000 children have been shut out of music education because of fees.

The motion says: “Conference reaffirms support for music tuition and urges the Scottish government to explore … music tuition and funding models that will promote equality of opportunity across all local authority schools.”

Members hope this will lead politicians to tackle the knock-on effect council funding cuts have had on free music tuition.

The issue is widespread across the UK. More than two fifths of low-income families told the Musicians’ Union that music lessons are already well out of budget for them, with children from wealthy families twice as likely to earn an instrument than their disadvantaged peers.

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty

Central government funding for local services in England was slashed by 36 per cent for 2019-20, according to the Local Government Association. This means English councils will have lost 60p out of every £1 the government provided for social services in 2010.

A Scottish government spokesperson said Holyrood is “committed to working collaboratively to find solutions to help ensure instrumental music remains accessible to all”.

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty

SIGN THE PETITION

Will you sign Big Issue's petition to ask Keir Starmer to pass a Poverty Zero law? It's time to hold government to account on poverty once and for all.

Recommended for you

View all
Will fixing the NHS be enough to save Starmer's government? Maybe. But only on one condition
NHS

Will fixing the NHS be enough to save Starmer's government? Maybe. But only on one condition

Labour wants to shake-up the controversial Right to Buy scheme with these three steps
Labour housing secretary Angela Rayner and housing minister Matthew Pennycook
Right to buy

Labour wants to shake-up the controversial Right to Buy scheme with these three steps

Is a four-day working week inevitable? Latest UK pilot sees 100% success rate
Four-day working week

Is a four-day working week inevitable? Latest UK pilot sees 100% success rate

Over 10 times more women sleeping rough than official stats suggest, report says
A woman on the street
Rough sleeping

Over 10 times more women sleeping rough than official stats suggest, report says

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over

Strike dates 2023: From train drivers to NHS doctors, here are the dates to know
4.

Strike dates 2023: From train drivers to NHS doctors, here are the dates to know

Support our vendors with a subscription

For each subscription to the magazine, we’ll provide a vendor with a reusable water bottle, making it easier for them to access cold water on hot days.