Kenya Outreach: Changing Lives Through Music Education

Bringing Music Education Back to Kenyan Schools

For over 20 years, music education has been largely absent from the curriculum in Kenyan schools. As a result, few educators have received formal training in music instruction, making it especially challenging to introduce music programs—particularly in rural areas where resources are scarce. However, with the recent reinstatement of music education as a required subject, schools across the country are eager to build their programs, and students are showing a growing interest in both learning music and pursuing careers in music education.

Understanding the Need

Since 2022, the Institute for Healthy Singing & Voice Research (IHS&VR) has worked alongside Kenyan educators to assess how best to support the revival of music education. Schools often receive minimal government-provided materials—sometimes as little as a single soprano recorder and a few student workbooks for an entire school. Many teachers have been tasked with teaching music despite having little or no background in the subject, leading to understandable challenges and concerns.

Recognizing the critical need for both teacher training and instructional materials, IHS&VR has taken action to support schools in building sustainable music programs.

Supporting Music Teachers & Students

Over the past three years, our volunteers—experienced music educators—have traveled to Kenya to provide direct training for teachers and students. During these immersive three-week teaching trips, our team has:

• Equipped teachers with foundational music literacy skills, such as solfège, rhythm, and note reading.

• Demonstrated effective lesson planning and sequencing.

• Introduced healthy vocal techniques and ensemble singing.

• Engaged with students who have shown an increasing passion for music and a desire to continue their studies in music education.