Stakeholder perspectives on music education and its transformative role in academic achievement and holistic development in Ghana

Despite growing global evidence that music education contributes significantly to learners’ cognitive, socio-emotional, and academic development, it remains marginalised within Ghana’s national education curriculum, particularly at the basic and senior high school levels. This marginalisation has resulted in a narrowed curriculum and limited opportunities for holistic learner development. This study examines the role of music education in fostering academic achievement and holistic development within the Ghanaian educational context, drawing on stakeholder perspectives to explore its educational value, curriculum integration, and the consequences of its neglect. Adopting a qualitative research approach, the study utilised focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of fifty-seven (57) key stakeholders, including music teachers, students, parents, school administrators, musicologists, and educational advisors in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Data were analysed thematically. Findings reveal a strong consensus among stakeholders that music education enhances cognitive abilities such as memory, creativity, and critical thinking, while also promoting socio-emotional skills including empathy, collaboration, and self-discipline. Participants further reported positive spill-over effects on students’ performance in non musical subjects. A significant majority (87%) of respondents advocated for music education to be designated as a mandatory core subject, particularly at the basic and senior high school levels. The continued neglect of music education was associated with reduced learner engagement, limited creative expression, and missed developmental opportunities. It concludes by recommending the policy-driven integration of music education as a core subject within Ghana’s national curriculum, supported by sustained investment in teacher capacity development, culturally responsive pedagogical resources, and collaborative cross-sector policy implementation