Music Teaching in Botswana Secondary Teacher Training Colleges: A Case of Molepolole College of Education.

• Main Authors: Otukile Sindiso Phibion, Fana Rabatoko, Shirley Marang Kekana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Belgrade Center for Music and Dance 2017-02-01
• Series: Accelerando: BJMD
• Subjects: Major; Minor; Elective; Music Education; College of Education; Botswana; Teacher Education
• Online Access: http://accelerandobjmd.weebly.com/issue2/2-music-teaching-in-botswana.html

The purpose of this study is to find out facts on music teaching in Botswana Secondary Teacher Training Colleges. The authors conducted a formal study with regard to the Diploma in Secondary Education with a component of Music Education Training in Botswana. The study was conducted in Botswana at Molepolole College of Education (MCE) which is the only government Secondary Teacher Training College, offering music in the whole country. Data were collected over a period of time by the three authors through meetings with staff and students surveys. The process was informed by involving all three authors. The leading author consecutively moderated this college for twelve years whilst the other two have been lecturers at the research college. This experience facilitated a further exploration of the competence frameworks in music education that they believed offered a narrow and technical view that neglected personal attributes and qualities. Apart from observations, research information was obtained through external examination/moderation reports review compiled consecutively over a number of years. Some of the information was obtained through consultation of government documents such as: The National Development Plan 10 (NDP 10), Vision 2016, Revised National Policy on Education (RNPE) and Education for Kagisano with regard to prospects of music teaching in Botswana. In addition, Colleges of Education documents such as syllabuses, regulations, and prospectus were also consulted. It became evident through this research that music is accorded low status hence termed a minor subject as compared to other subjects called major. This research revealed that the admission process is also biased towards “Major” subjects. Initially there used to be interviews for “minor” opting students selection which have been since abandoned. The review found that lecturers at MCE were committed to serving for excellence yet strong criticism was made of perceived limitations of the existing curriculum. This research also intended to find out the future growth of music at this college, possibly its upgrading to the status of a major with increased teaching time.