The Adoption of Music Education as a Vocational Pathway: A Study of Selected Secondary Schools in Ngabwe District, Zambia

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to find out the effects of the career pathway on the choice of music education in the selected secondary schools in the Ngabwe district. The study was guided by the following specific research objectives: to establish the status for adopting music education as a vocational pathway in secondary schools and to determine factors that contribute to the non-adoption of music education in secondary schools. The study employed both the qualitative and quantitative research methods to collect, integrate and analyze data. The study utilized descriptive research design. The target population of the study were all head teachers, deputy head teachers, heads of departments and music subject teachers in the selected secondary schools. The research instruments used in the study were questionnaires and interview guides. Data was collected through questionnaire and interview methods. Qualitative data was analyzed using thematic method in order to generate themes. SPSS software version 25 was used to generate descriptive statistics in the form of frequency tables and bar graphs in order to give clear explanations, presentation and interpretation of the research results. The study shows that schools had no intention of adopting and implementing music education as a subject. Various factors that hinders the adoption of music education in schools were brought out and these includes, lack of trained music teachers, lack of musical classroom, lack of musical instruments, lack of course and reference books and negative attitude by teachers towards music. Measures on motivating the adoption of music education were as well suggested, these includes, make music compulsory subject, procurement of musical instruments, establishment of musical classroom, procurement of course and reference books and the orientation of the school management on the relevance of music education to learners and the society at large. Keywords: Effects, music education, career pathway, musical instruments, musical classrooms, non-adoption. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/13-14-02 Publication date: May 31 st 2022