Reconceptualizing the Music Teacher Education Curriculum for the Colleges of Education in Nigeria

The Federal Government of Nigeria has realized that low educationalquality has negative implications for sustainable national development, hence hercommitment to develop national policies and national curriculum for teacher education toimprove the quality of education (including music education). This article observesimprovement in the preparation of musician-teachers as absolutely imperative to movemodern music education as a field in the direction for continued growth. It traces out ahistorical past and explores present-day circumstances by analyzing and critiquing theNational Commission for Colleges of Education’s document—Approved Minimum AcademicStandards for Music. As the document is based on exogenous paradigms, it is argued thatit cannot produce the change agent in the Nigerian musician-teacher. Areconceptualization of music teacher curriculum that is socioculturally sensitive issuggested for colleges of education in Nigeria as a way of moving it toward developingsound, effective, and creative musician-teachers