Trinidadian pan pioneer Gerald Forsyth arrived in Britain in 1962. He established the first school steel band at Islington Green School in London in 1969.
This paved the way for a number of Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) schools to start up steel pan classes and by 1975 there were over 50 schools with steel bands.
In 1978 Gerald was appointed Steelband Organiser for Schools with an office at the headquarters of the Greater London Council. By 1990 over 160 schools had steel pan music as part of their curriculum.
There are now community steel bands in every continent but little information exists on steel bands in schools in Britain, Trinidad or in fact any part of the world.
So, thanks to this research out by others, we ask the question: Should Steelband must be part of the National Curriculum?