CHIEF executive officer of the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund, Wilford ‘Billy’ Heaven has defended music education in schools, drawing support from research he said reveals that those students who engage in such study do better in other subject areas.

“For years school administrators have been forced to make the choice between the basic curriculum and a more extended curriculum that includes music. Today, I would like to make the case for music education in schools. I believe that in addition to being an engaging and enjoyable subject, music education is the key that opens the windows of the mind to better learning,” he noted.

Heaven was speaking at Holland High School during the November 4 dedication service for musical instruments, valued at $500,000, donated to the school by the CHASE Fund.

In addition to the intellectual gains to be derived from music, the CHASE Fund boss said that there are also numerous opportunities for personal development.

Heaven said that music, which can serve as a deterrent to violence, can also open windows to an individual’s feeling of self-worth, self-expression, self-discipline and commitment.

At the same time, he disclosed that Holland High was among 18 schools which the CHASE Fund has provided with musical instruments, valued, in total, at $11.3 million.

Meanwhile, school principal, Pauleen Reid, noted that the CHASE Fund’s provision of musical instruments to her school has proven inspirational for her students.

“It is heart-warming to just sit in the afternoon and listen to the students because they are so obsessed with what is happening in the music room. Not only that, but the kind of enhancement it has provided for our academic programme,” Reid said. “Even at lunchtime these days, they just play music. So rather than kids walking about and probably getting aggressive or so… they are quite settled and the whole scene is classic.”