School Music Festivals and the Rights of Children: The Case of Uganda

Abstract

In order to make up for the social effects caused by many years of under-development as a result of dictatorship, ethnic conflict and civil wars, the current government of Uganda decided to promote national unity and national pride through primary school music festivals as part of reforms in the education sector. The government, through the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) sponsored music competitions amongst schools whose objective is described by the mutual process of socialization and educating the masses about children rights and the country’s constitution. With a total of 198 participants (n=198), including music teachers (n=60), students (n=80), parents (n=40), and administrators (n=18), this research examines the role of school music festivals in fostering awareness and advocacy for children’s rights. It illustrates how music festivals accord children the opportunity to participate in social change and in developing a new culture nationally by introducing a development discourse nationally. Ethnographic research design was applied, combining both qualitative and quantitative research methods constituting a wide array of observations over a period of time. Interviews and questionnaires were used to ascertain how music festivals create a culture of constitutionalism, raising children rights awareness, and advocacy. In addition to the searched literature, the researcher’s personal experiences as participant observer and his interaction with stake holders offer insight and understanding of how music festivals allow children to use the performance stage as space to evaluate inconsistencies associated with claiming their rights.