Instrumental tuition charges

[GT]

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Scottish Distant Islands Allowance (SDIA) had nothing to do with the oils industry coming to Shetland. It was always paid to Civil Servants posted to Scottish Islands as compensation for high cost of travel to mainland Scotland. It was not paid to locally recruited Civil Servants unless they had themselves been working out of their home island group for two years then been posted back.

 

This unfair rule changed in the late 1970s following a campaign by Civil Service Trade Unions. The new agreement was for the payment of SDIA to all Civil Servants (including local government employees) including locally recruited staff.

 

The agreed married rate of SDIA at the time was payment of the equivalent cost of three return trips to Scotland (Aberdeen by ferry in Shetland’s case) for the employee his/her spouse plus two children and a car.

[peeriebryan]

Come on folks. Lets try to keep this thread on topic. The original poster started a discussion about music tuition charges specifically in the music section of the forums! Anyway....

 

 

 

Earlier today the council voted 9 to 11 in favour of introducing instrumental charges

 

Councillor Rick Nickerson spoke out against the charges on Radio Shetland news earlier tonight calling it a 'Tax on Talent', and ironically was followed by a feature on Shetland musicians at Celtic Connections, most of whom have benefited from free music instrument provision

 

Chris Stout spoke of the value of music education, and Jenna Reid in particular spoke of the 'head start' tuition gave her and the value of supporting the arts and culture. Kevin Henderson also spoke highly of tuition, in particular the introduction of fiddle teaching in schools and the need to encourage young people to play

 

When asked about the future of music tuition in Shetland, Tavish Scott highlighted the importance of music to Shetland, that Shetland is defined by music, and that we need to make sure music doesn't get lost in the inevitably tough economic climate

[tlady]

Could the Arts Trust not fund the music lessons?

[Fifi]

Come on folks. Lets try to keep this thread on topic. The original poster started a discussion about music tuition charges specifically in the music section of the forums! Anyway....

Depending on the way you use the forum, eg if you read 'posts since last visit', you might not always be paying full attention to which section the thread is in - you're probably more interested in the content. I'll admit to only noticing it was in the music section when you mentioned it.

 

If the discussion is purely about music tution fees it might help if the thread title was changed to reflect this - make it more obvious - then you might need to nag the rabble less? Just a suggestion.

[MuckleJoannie]

I guess it's my blame

What would you charge for or increase charges instead?

[Ghostrider]

I'll admit to only noticing it was in the music section when you mentioned it.

 

Me too!

 

Its difficult, and arguably possibly counter productive to just debate the introduction of charges of music tuition in isolation though IMHO. They're just one item on a multi item list, all of which are getting relatively similar treatment, and which all lead back to one root cause. That being the level of service provision provided by the council, and how it is financed.

[jaydee67]

I'm asking for proof that all of those support staff are really justified and providing value for money.

 

Well I earn my money - and do unpaid overtime most days, providing even greater value for money. I believe that what I do makes a difference to the kids I work with and the teaching staff too. It's bad enough with the blueprint putting staff morale in the pits without having people with no knowledge of present day school systems having a pop too.

[peeriebryan]

Could the Arts Trust not fund the music lessons?

Shetland Arts' own funding has been reduced significantly of late, with further cuts in the pipeline. But we're keen to help any organisations or individuals to find solutions to the current financial challenges. Rightly or wrongly, when times get tight, arts provision is often the first to suffer

 

What would you charge for or increase charges instead?

That's the crux of the matter! There's no denying that the SIC need to tighten the belt, but I think the impact of funding cuts must be assessed before the true value can be ascertained, and in this case I'm not sure it has been thought through

 

On a purely financial level, I have my doubts that by introducing charges the 'yield' of £130,000 will be achieved, as this seems to assume that the number of students will remain at the current level. The yield of £130,000 and a cost of £160 per year suggests 812.5 students, which is the approximate number of current students. But it is reasonable to expect the number of students to fall once charges are introduced

 

Neither does this figure take into account any subsidies that may be required for low income families or the costs of administrating the means-testing (should that be required) and processing the charges

 

Here’s a reasonably likely scenario - if two thirds of current student numbers carry on tuition the ‘yield’ will be about £87,000. Lets say 25% of the remaining students are from a low income family, and presumably they’ll get tuition free, that leaves a ‘yield’ of £65,250. Of that, you can probably deduct admin charges of about £5,000, so we’re left with £60,250 – less than half of what the SIC are expecting

 

So a £60,250 saving rather than a £130,000 saving?

 

Then the impact of potential redundancies must be factored into the figures....

[peeriebryan]

Well I earn my money - and do unpaid overtime most days, providing even greater value for money

This is the case with the music tutors too. Most work hours well beyond what they are paid for, as well as voluntary work such as running after school and weekend youth music groups

 

If you're in any doubt as to the work these tutors put in I suggest you attend the Schools Music Festival next month to see the astounding levels of talent they help nurture - http://www.shetland-news.co.uk/2010/February/news/Festival%20concert%20line-up%20announced.htm

[tivacudda]

My bairn has joost started fiddle lessons, and I wid be more dan happy ta pay. I hed actually hoped dat da introduction o charges (although dey obviously dunna cover da whole cost) wid possibly allow more instructors ta be employed, an more bairns wid get da chance ta take dem up, raider dan less. Dir's aye a waitin list at wir school.

I hed also assumed dat bairns dat get free school meals wid get instruction fur free, which wid save furder means testing.

Da idder thing is, if da folk are payin, wid dey be more likely ta encourage dir bairns ta practise, an value da service more, which wid have a positive effect on da music in da long term? I dunna keen, but it is a possibilty.

[peeriebryan]

^ good points. I think it highlights that fact that there should have been more research, or a least thought, put into it before the decision was made

[Guest Anonymous]

my bairns are older n all sooth , but if dey were younger n here , der not a chance i could afford 3x£160 a year , plus all da idder price hikes

[Frankie]

On a purely financial level, I have my doubts that by introducing charges the 'yield' of £130,000 will be achieved, as this seems to assume that the number of students will remain at the current level. The yield of £130,000 and a cost of £160 per year suggests 812.5 students, which is the approximate number of current students. But it is reasonable to expect the number of students to fall once charges are introduced.

 

Are there not more students who would like lessons just now than places available ? So for example if 100 kids would like accordion lessons just now but there were only 75 spaces, there would be a ''waiting list'' of 25. Some of these students could fill the spaces vacated by those not able or willing to pay.

[peeriebryan]

^ that may well be the case as there are indeed waiting lists for many instruments

 

I think you raise an important point with "those not able or willing to pay", which could mean that future provision will be dictated by the free market, rather than the availability of tutors. It would certainly be a shift in the current philosophy of instrumental tuition

[Guest Anonymous]

all it will yield is the way its always been before, interested bairns learn off thier peers and relatives. There was a life before all these new ways you know, an integrated n socially bonded community where folk put off the tv now n again n played instruments, took active rolls in the bairns everyday activities n saw them learning if they had talent or desire (mines dont by the way)