Barriers to Developing and Sustaining Western Choirs in Sri Lankan Government Schools

This study primarily focuses on identifying the significance of school choirs, the challenges encountered in their establishment, and the obstacles to implementing Western music choirs in government schools. It proposes the benefits of running Western singing groups within the Sri Lankan school system, along with solutions to the challenges that may arise during implementation. The sample for this study includes eighty randomly selected teachers who teach Western music for grades 6–13, as well as ten randomly selected school principals. The research was conducted using a qualitative approach, with data collected through online questionnaires and interviews. Additionally, documentary analysis was performed using printed and electronic documents, relevant websites, and publications to gather necessary information and resources related to school choirs. The results demonstrate that choral singing offers students valuable benefits such as fostering teamwork, harnessing the ability to perform assigned roles accurately regardless of their significance, and developing mutual respect among group members. Teachers’ responses indicate several key barriers to the establishment and sustainability of school choirs, including a lack of appropriate space and time for rehearsals, poor attendance and interest from students in Western choral singing, insufficient administrative support, limited knowledge of part singing and voice training, and a lack of commitment from students due to their other responsibilities. Principals also highlighted some of these barriers, specifically those associated with time constraints, resource scarcity, and competing academic priorities. Results obtained during this study indicate that when choirs are established at the school level, the result is a significant move towards improving school music education.