ABOUT US
BRIEF HISTORY OF SOMEN
A group of music educators met twice at FCE, Okene in 1999, to create an association for music educators. Thereafter, the Association of music educators in Nigeria (AMECEN) was birthed as a platform for lecturers and teachers of music to exchange ideas and get refreshed at annual conferences and regular workshops in locations within states in Nigeria. The maiden conference was held at the Federal College of Education, Abeokuta.
The theme of that first conference which held from 1st March to 4th March , 2000 was: Issues in Music Education: Way Forward in the 21st century.
At the conference in Abeokuta it was unanimously agreed to expand the coast of the association by adopting a name that would accomodate all music educators without institutional dichotomy. The association, thereafter, adopted the nomenclature; Conference of Music Educators in Nigeria. (COMEN). Later, in 2019, due to certain requirements brought up within the registration process, the group’s nomenclature was revised to become; Society of Music Educators of Nigeria (SOMEN).
The 2nd conference held from 7th to 9th March, 2001 at the Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin. Since then the boat of the society sailed round colleges of education soaring in membership embracing all music teachers in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.
MISSION AND VISION
With the increasing number of seasoned music educators of highest academic ranking who are registered members of the society; the society is wired to monitor, supervise and engage in activities that would improve the quality of music graduates in Nigeria.Because the society recognises that teaching is a dynamic profession that requires constant knowledge update for effective dissemination of learning objectives. The prime objectives are to:
1. Coordinate the activities and professional wellbeing of music educators in Nigeria.
2. Ensure quality of NCE, B.Ed and B.A. Music graduates.
3. Ascertain the conditions and status of detailed specification of music curriculum in various institutions for music quality assurance.
4. Encourage innovation and re-orientation through workshops and conferences towards the changing needs of music pedagogy.
5. Ensure mentoring of secondary School music teachers for effective classroom performance.