Working group tables proposals
On September 23, 2012, the people and the cantons accepted by a large majority a new constitutional article aimed at strengthening musical training in Switzerland. A working group comprising representatives of music associations, cantons, towns and municipalities has submitted a report in which it sets out numerous proposals for improving musical training. The Federal Council will decide on the measures it intends to implement as part of its cultural message for 2016 to 2019.
The new Article 67a of the Federal Constitution (Cst.) aims to strengthen musical education. The Confederation and the cantons are to ensure that music teaching in schools is of a high standard, without affecting the current division of responsibilities between the Confederation and the cantons. In their leisure time, all children and young people should have the opportunity to practice music. Particular encouragement should be given to particularly gifted young people.
The head of the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA) set up a working group to implement the new constitutional article. The group included representatives from the following organizations and institutions: the Union of Swiss Cities (UVS), the Association of Swiss Communes (ACS), the "jeunesse+musique" association, the "Jeunesse et musique" community of interest, the Swiss Association of Music Schools (ASEM), the Swiss Music Council (CSM), the Conference of Swiss Music Schools (CHEMS) and the Swiss Music Association (ASM). Representatives of the General Secretariat of the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK) also took part in the meetings.
Following an analysis of musical training from the point of view of the associations represented, the working group came to the conclusion that equal opportunities and the quality of musical training, both at grassroots level and for young talent, needed to be improved, and that collaboration between the various players needed to be strengthened. It drew up some 37 proposals for measures, 32 of which fall in principle under federal jurisdiction. On the question of which measures should be implemented, opinions within the working group sometimes differed on the necessity, applicability and urgency of certain measures, as well as on the extent of federal competence.
The measures proposed by the working group are being analyzed by the Federal Office of Culture (FOC) and the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA), and will be discussed with the cantons, towns and municipalities at the end of March 2014 during the national cultural dialogue meeting. The Federal Council will decide which measures it intends to implement as part of the 2016 to 2019 Culture Dispatch. The Culture Dispatch 2016 to 2019 will go out to consultation from early summer 2014. The Federal Council will submit it to Parliament, probably in December 2014.
The report is available on the Federal Office of Culture website:
www.bak.admin.ch/?lang=de&webcode=d_14089_fr
