The Chandigarh Administration has started teaching music and dance during the hobby classes in the Government schools in Chandigarh city. The aim is to teach music to the underpriviledged students. Starting out with 12 schools in 2013 on an experimental basis, the success of the exercise has encouraged the administration to extend the exercise to other schools too.
More than 2,000 students from 35 Government schools have enrolled in hobby classes to learn classical dance, classical music, instruments, folk music and dance so far.
Speaking on the initiative, Amandeep Kaur, Director, culture, said, “We started this exercise on an experimental basis last year, but received exceptional results. From this year, we have decided to spread the idea as much as possible in most city schools. Financial grants have been given to schools to buy musical instruments and other infrastructure, so that we can encourage talented children”. Sources said the cultural wing of the UT has kept aside a special fund of Rs 80 lakh to buy all kinds of instruments and payment of resource persons teaching in schools.
The Chandigarh Administration has formed a special group comprising of vice-principal and head of the instrumental music and dance department and an associate professor of one of the Government Schools to look into the matter.
