LAGOS- Some educationists in Lagos have advocated for the use of music in teaching to enhance the students understanding of subjects they perceived to be difficult.
They told newsmen that music was relevant in the educational development of children as they things learnt through music were hardly forgotten.
The educationists held that music was a necessity that couldn’t be circumvented in teaching children other subjects and music itself.
The teachers spoke against the backdrop of the dearth of music teachers and the non-teaching of music as a core subject in most schools in the country.
Mr Sunday Babalola, a lecturer at the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Ijanikin, Lagos State, told newsmen that music helped children to relax their brain and nerves and prepared them to learn.
Babalola said that music was embedded into all the subjects in primary schools in ways that make children to understand the topics easily.
“Take for instance, in mathematics, days of the week are turned into music, in Geography, rivers in Africa are turned into music and it is so in many other subjects.
“By so doing, children will definitely remember when asked during exams about such things,’’ he said.
According to the lecturer, music started from cradle to death; the first sound made by a child in terms of cry could be regarded as music.
“This is so because the cry of a new born child is a welcome sound to the ear and enriches the soul,’’ he said.
Babalola said that as the child grew, the communication with him or her is mostly done through music.
Contributing, the Head Teacher of Oakwood Montessori School, Surulere, Mrs Ifeyinwa Oguadinma, said that music helped children having issues with learning to learn gradually.
Oguadinma told newsmen that music helped a child to learn better and unfolded the child’s potential.
She said that music was a necessity in the education of a child because whatever a child was taught through music could never be forgotten.
“We have discovered that children who had issues in their learning unfolded gradually due to regular use of music in the class.
“That is why we stress the need to teach music in schools,’’ she said.
Also speaking, the school’s Administrator, Mr Mark Ahamefune, said that a child was not balanced if he was not able to do what other kids could do.
“Aside academic excellence, we are looking at building an all-round child.
“Music helps children to have fun as they learn, every child should be able to play an instrument whatever it is,’’ he said.
He also said that music was fun and that children learn through fun.
Ahamefune advised policy makers in the education sector to incorporate things centred on children in schools’ curriculum so as to create a child-friendly environment for learning.
It was also reported that the Oakwood Montessouri Schools recently had its Cantata where the pupils showcased their potential.
