A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Education, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF EDUCATION in the Department of Educational Planning and Administration at the University of Zululand, 1989. / This dissertation sets out to investigate the relevance and the effectiveness of the Primary Teachers' Diploma (PTD) Music Syllabi. The Main focus is the KwaZulu and Natal Colleges of Education that offer PTD. Chapter 1 outlines the background to the research study, and discusses the role played by Music in both rural and urban Black communities. This chapter also summarises the musical needs of black communities. Chapter 2 reviews the literature that deals with the teaching of Music in schools. This literature is then compared and contrasted with the prescribed Music syllabi of the South African Black schools and colleges. Chapter 3 describes and discusses the interviews, questionnaires and observation (Triangulation) that are used to investigate the relevance and effectiveness of the PTD Music Syllabi. Chapter 4 presented the findings that are concluded in chapter 5. The prescribed PTD Music syllabi are found to be generally relevant but ineffective. The ineffectiveness is attributed to factors such as poor musical background of music students, inadequately trained music teachers, amount of allocated time, and a shortage of music equipment. The researcher recommends that Music teachers should be in-serviced and be helped to improve their music knowledge and qualifications. A balance is to be brought about between the allocated amount of work and time. Secondary schools are to try and offer Music as a subject.