Anger over charges for schoolchildren’s music lessons

Jul 22 2010 by Alastair McNeill, Hamilton Advertiser

FREE music lessons for primary school pupils in South Lanarkshire have become the latest target of council budget cuts.

From August, parents will need to pay £60 for their children’s music lessons before every term, a total of £180 per year.

Parents were informed of the fees for ‘Instrumental Music Service’ provision in a letter from officials at the end of term.

One parent, Amanda McNelis, from Westcraigs, spoke of her dismay about the decision.

Her 11-year-old daughter Emma Neil, who will be going into primary seven at St Blane’s Primary in August, is learning the flute.

Mrs McNelis believes children from less well-off backgrounds will suffer as a result of the move.

“I think £180 is a lot of money for families struggling to make ends meet,” she said. “Many will not be able to afford these fees.

“At the moment, many children are excluded because the instruments can cost between £200 and £600.

“Children who currently enjoy lessons will not get the chance to play an instrument now.

“It’s expensive enough sending your child back to school for the new term without adding this to the total.”

The mum also pointed out that North Lanarkshire Council currently do not charge for music tuition.

Mrs McNelis added that many families will need to decide over the summer what they will have to do without if they want their children to continue to have music lessons at school.

She said: “South Lanarkshire Council have written in their letters to parents: ‘We very much hope that you will continue to support musical development within South Lanarkshire’.

“It is a great pity the council are not willing to go without in other areas of their spending to do the same.”

A spokesman for South Lanarkshire Council said “parental contribution” to music fees had been introduced “as part of the council’s income-generation and savings targets”.

He added: “A charge of £6 per lesson (£60 per term) will be introduced from August for pupils wishing to participate in music tuition.

“Students undertaking an SQA award in music will be exempt from this charge for one instrument, while P3, P4 and P5 pupils who take part in the Instrumental Music Service will also receive free music tuition for one year.”