School drum bands used to be encouraged years ago, when students marched in the Independence Day parades.

After the peace accords, military style bands were frowned on, and marching was forbidden.

However, school bands continued to be popular with students and some teachers, and the bands added glockenspiels and other instruments, to the drums and pipes they had.

In 2010, more schools than ever had school bands, and girls started taking part in them, as newer schools competed for students with the established ones.