Mahama would promote music and arts in schools

Music and arts education play a crucial role in shaping well-rounded individuals and enhancing their overall development; and some of the reasons why teaching music and arts in schools is so important are that music and language share a deep connection. Exposure to musical education has been linked to better language development in young children.

Musical training stimulates the same brain areas responsible for understanding language, leading to improved tone comprehension and alignment of speech segments. This can also be beneficial to children learning a second language.

Besides, playing a musical instrument engages the neural network and promotes brain development. Studies suggest that musicians exhibit increased neural activity compared to non-musicians.

Musical instruction contributes to improved sound discrimination and fine motor skills, as observed through brain imaging. This enhances neural connections, fostering cognitive growth and creativity.

By participating in artistic activities, students develop critical thinking skills and emotional intelligence.

These programmes contribute to a holistic education that goes beyond traditional academic subjects.

There is, therefore, the need for schools to prioritise these essential subjects to nurture well-rounded individuals who thrive academically and creatively.

For these reasons, the initiative by H.E. John Mahama to promote the teaching of music and arts in schools in his next government must be applauded.

President Mahama's vision to provide trained teachers for these subjects will enable students to have the opportunity to explore their talents and interests in music and arts, and develop their skills in these areas. This will not only benefit them individually, but also contribute to the cultural and artistic development of the country as a whole.

It is important to recognise the value of music and arts education in schools, and to support initiatives that promote the inclusion of these subjects in the curriculum. I doff my hat to JDM for his thoughts in this regard, and hope that the current government will follow suit in prioritising the importance of music and arts education in our schools.

Anthony Obeng Afrane