Steenberg High parents fight to keep music programme

Parents and School Governing Body (SGB) members of Steenberg High have rallied together to try and stop NGO Musiquelaine South Africa (MSA) from taking instruments away from pupils who are part of a music programme at the school.

MSA had run a programme at the school since 2014 and a special music room was created for pupils to learn to play instruments and be part of the Steenberg band.

However, in July it was announced that the programme would be discontinued at the end of August - much to the dismay of parents and pupils.

Parent Rene Brown questioned the organisation’s “sudden departure” and pleaded for the instruments to stay at the school so pupils could continue their music programme, but MSA has been at the school twice in the past six weeks to collect the instruments.

In August, the parents had stopped MSA from taking the instruments and in the most recent attempt on Thursday October 10, a security company and truck service was at the school to collect the instruments but parents once again stopped them.

Ms Brown said the NGO is doing the opposite of what they set out to do and have been charging pupils R400 a year and are not fulfilling their obligation to at least stay till the end of the school term.

“If this was not a permanent programme why create the music room and make the instruments available only to take it away? The whole point of the music programme was to empower our children but now they want to disempower them,” said Ms Brown.

She also questioned the finance of the organisation and where funds from the school band’s concerts and donations have “disappeared” to.

Music director Damien Swartz, who had been employed by MSA and was teaching at the school, said the chairperson of the board for MSA contacted him and said the programme was ending but had not had any previous communication about their plans.

Mr Swartz as well as another music teacher were dismissed from their posts due to “financial constraints”.

In communication from the chairperson, Ahmien van der Walt, he said the impact of challenges on the organisation’s sustainability and operational expenses cannot be overstated.

“The conclusion of the music programme has been reached following a thorough evaluation, influenced by various factors including limitations on donor funding and strained interactions with Steenberg High School… in the interest of our organisation's strategic direction, we have determined that discontinuing our involvement at this point is essential,” said Mr Van der Walt

He said assets belonging to MSA, including musical instruments, music stands, furniture, and educational materials, will be retrieved from the premises.

SGB chairperson Ralph Hardenberg said they are disheartened and requested that the board consider extending the programme until the end of the academic year.

He said the SGB understands MSA is facing financial difficulties and in response they reached out to the music teachers, who recognise the programme’s significance, and they have agreed to volunteer to ensure music remains available as an extracurricular option.

“They have kindly agreed to volunteer their services to ensure that music remains an extracurricular option for our learners and the continuation of the music programme is contingent upon the availability of musical instruments as our learners do not have the financial means to acquire these instruments independently,” said Mr Hardenberg.

Mr Van der Walt said the relationship between the school and the organisation soured and there wasn’t much left to do but to collect the instruments.

The SGB has appealed for donations of instruments and other music equipment to continue the music programme at the school. For more information or to dontate contact Merlin on 072 143 0232.