Spotted on MediaUpdate,  a story about the opening of a new library in at the Kgaganako Primary School,  Ga-Mphahlele,  Limpopo by Miss South Africa,  Bokang Montjane,  and  M-Net Cares.     The school was Miss South Africa's former primary school.   

Don Makatile in the Sowetan says  he was pleasantly surprised to hear about this,  and that it would be really interesting to see what is in local celebs' libraries.

The Sowetan reports that delegates attending the Education International's quadrennial World Congress are being encouraged to bring books to help short up local community libraries. 

Times (6/6/2011) reports that only 21% of public schools have libraries,  according to the Department of Basic Education.

The article goes on to say, that Limpopo, the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga, the provinces that performed worst in the 2010 matric exams, have the fewest libraries in relation to the number of schools.

May figures said only 7.5% of Limpopo's 3924 schools, 9.7% of the Eastern Cape's 5676 schools and 17.3% of Mpumalanga's 1868 schools had libraries.

In the North West 321 of 1674 schools have libraries. More than half the schools in Gauteng - 1191 of 2031 - and the Western Cape - 775 of 1464 - have libraries.

These figures are "scandalous", according to Prof Genevieve Hart, of the University of the Western Cape's department of Library and Information Science.

In the run-up to International Nelson Mandela Day on 18th July,  the Mandela Foundation wants to set up container libraries in each province to encourage young children to read,   reports TimesLive.

Each container will cost R50 000, with a total cost of R450 000 for all the containers. The containers will include books from all genres particularly African literature.

These books were selected to reinforce the historical background South Africa holds and celebrate the rich heritage it possesses.

The container libraries will be set up at primary schools selected by the Soul Buddies Clubs, who will be running the libraries.

 

 The Cape Times (28 Feb 2011) reports on a new school library officially opened by Equal Education.    Blomvlei Primary School library to be opened, but this is the first to be sponsored by a major business trust.   The Tourism Community Development Trusthad spent more than R2,5 million on physical infrastructure at the school, the majority being spent on building the library.  

 

 

The Cape Argus (18 Feb 2011, p 5) reports that Wendy Makgate, Chair of the Select Committee on Education and Recreation,  described comments made by the Chair of the National Council for Library and Information Services as "discriminating" and "insulting" when he attempted to justify the board's failure to reach citizens living in "deep rural" communities.

The minutes and an audio recording of the Select Committee hearing is available here. 

Two of the presentations related to libraries:-

The Chairperson pointed out that education was one of the key priorities identified by the President, and that was interwoven with the need for libraries, encouraging a culture of reading and use of indigenous languages. The Department of Arts and Culture gave three presentations on libraries and language. The first presentation set out the background and progress of the Library Information Services Charter, which defined the challenges facing the sector and would provide a framework for eliminating illiteracy, inequality in the sector, promoting social cohesion and building knowledge through reading. The Charter called for institutional reform and changes in how librarians and managers of educational institutions should work. The challenges included a lack of national policy on norms and standards, the need to build more libraries, since only 2.7% of schools had functioning libraries, the need to review legislation to eliminate overlaps and confusion, and the need to address and resolve the training, recruitment and retention of librarians. Free and easy access for all to Library Information Services was a basic right. Television and other means should be used to resocialise citizens in Batho Pele values and to promote a culture of reading. The National Library Board and Library and Information Association should be given greater authority on issues directly affecting them. Adequate funding, and an independent monitoring and evaluation system, should be put in place. Members asked what measures were proposed to overcome the challenges and overlapping mandates, noted too much concentration on English, including SABC 1, and asked about the role of the National Library Board. Members were concerned about the closure of Library Science departments at universities, and asked how and when the Department intended to address the challenges, and who had been consulted. Members stressed the need also to involve the community and parents who were home-schooling, asked if visits had been paid to schools, and cited several instances where library books were packed away and unused. They also stressed that these problems were compounded in rural areas.

The second presentation outlined the Community Libraries Grant, which was targeted primarily at disadvantaged communities, and which was intended to transform urban and rural community library infrastructure, facilities and services through a recapitalised programme at provincial level, supporting local government. The spending since 2009 was set out. The achievements included close working relationships with the SA Library for the Blind, republication of African literature classics and drafting of a Community Library Information Services Bill that would set the framework for developing norms and standards for the community libraries. Challenges included staff turnover and negotiations on service level agreements, as well as complex and difficult relationships with the Department of Public Works around infrastructure requirements. Members regretted that the provincial departments were not available to answer questions, and queried why the MECs were apparently not working out allocations properly to ensure capacity and adequate budget. They were concerned about withholding of grant funding due to lack of spending, questioned whether it could be reallocated to other projects, and questioned fiscal dumping in the last quarter. Members requested breakdowns of spending by province, and pointed out that it was necessary to establish who was using the libraries, and whether they were truly accessible. They questioned why the library profession was not seen as attractive, especially since bursaries were available. Several Members were severely critical of the report on infrastructure progress, pointing out that it did not accord with the reality on the ground. They urged the Department not to rely solely on written reports, but to monitor the situation by sending inspectors, and to monitor the transfer of funds from province to municipality. The relationship with the Department of Public Works was questioned.

The Cape Argus (23rd November, p 8 -  only available online to subscribers) reports that 26% of schools in the Western Cape have stocked libraries,  and experts fear that this could have severe repercussions for most of the province's pupils.

According to the National Education Infrastructure Management System (NEIMS) Report of 2009, another 27% of schols have space for a library, but no books, while 47% have no library at all. 

Paddy Attwell, director of communication at the Western Cape Department of Education, said that the focus was on putting libraries into the poorest schools. To date, 559 libraries had been equipped.   Another element of the programme was the Advanced Certificate in Education for teachers who train as school librarians, run by the University of the Western Cape's Library and Information Science Department.     120 fulltime teachers have completed or are close to completing the course.

Schools that were surveyed in the article include Westerford High School,  Habibia Primary, Bellville South Primary, Bridgeville Primary and Chris Hani Secondary School.

PepsiCo in conjunction with Books for Africa are distributing that it will distribute 20,000 books and supplies to locations in need in Johannesburg and the surrounding region this week. 

SIMBA, PepsiCo's local snack business, with support from local community leaders, will deliver the books to three schools and one orphanage in rural and impoverished areas facing challenges such as high unemployment levels.

 Books and supplies will be donated to the following locations:

• Seema Makapan Middle School in Dipetlwane Rural Village in the North West Province of South Africa, attended by 850 students;
• Dithamaga High School, attended by 650 students and located in Ga Matlala Village in Mpumalanga Province;
• Mlilo Primary School in Nelspruit in the Mpumalanga Province, about 325 Km from Johannesburg; at which SIMBA recently built a computer room and science laboratory;
• Fountain of Love Orphanage in Katlehong Township (Johannesburg), an AIDS orphanage attended by 150 children.

Here's the press release.

But South Africa has a lot of catching up to do.      Times Live carries an opinion piece.

"There are currently no government-funded posts for school librarians. In terms of policy, progress is slow. The National Policy for an Equitable Provision of an Enabling School Physical Teaching and Learning Environment, gazetted on June 11, acknowledges the need for a library in every school.

[Doron} Isaacs  [of Equal Education]  says if school library guidelines are finalised by January 2011, as planned, for the first time democratic South Africa will have a policy on school libraries.

"Unfortunately these will be guidelines without a budget or implementation plan.

"We're encouraged that the department has committed itself to a library in every school in its Action Plan 2014, but the target date is 2030. We need a short-term target too."

 

Spotted in the Cape Times (November 8, 2010 p 6 only available online to Cape Times subscribers) the story about the new school library at Masiyile High in Khayelitsha.    The library was launched on Friday, and officially opened by Equal Education. 

This is the third library to be opened by Equal Education this year.  The first was Thembelihle High School in Khayelitsha, the second at Lavender Hill Secondary School.  

Both the Cape Times (27/10/2010) and the Cape Argus (27/10/2010)[online access to stories for subscribers only] report on the launch of Inkwenkwezi Secondary School's refurbished library and learning centre, sponsored in part by petroleum company, Chevron.  The library is expected to be fully functional early next year after a fulltime librarian and assistant have been hired. Chevron had invested R400 000 in setting up the library and would pay the salaries of the two staff members for at least a year. 

The library was officially opened by Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga.  Here's the press release from BuaNews Online.

Cape Argus (only available online to subscribers) [26th October 2010, p 4] reports on the opening of a school library at the Dalweide Primary School in Paarl after three years of planning and hard work.

Funding for the construction, books and posters came from the Western Cape Education Department's library support services, Edulis.

Education MEC Donald Grant reported that this year R42 million wa spent to benefit more than 650 schools and 400 000 books were distributed across the province.  In the past three years, the department had spent R120 million in establishing libraries in the poorest schools.

allAfrica.com reports that Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, the University of the Free State's vice-chancellor Prof Jonathan Jansen, storyteller Gcina Mhlope and Department of Basic Education official Vincent Motau last night joined about 4500 people who participated in lobby group Equal Education's 24-hour Fast for School Libraries, which ends this evening.

<snip>

A fast was a way of bringing together people from various backgrounds in peaceful protest, said Equal Education policy research and communications head Yoliswa Dwane. While the Basic Education Department battled infrastructure backlogs left over from the apartheid era, it was about to make publicly available a new set of national guidelines for school library and information science services, said spokesman Granville Whittle.

This would mean the department could "promptly" respond to schools' needs while incrementally ensuring libraries for all, Mr Whittle said.

 Here's the link to the media statement on Equal Education's webpage.

Mail and Guardian and other major newspapers carried an open letter (16 July 2010) (written by George Bizos) to President Zuma in support of the "1 school, 1 library, 1 librarian" campaign. 

Download the letter from the Equal Education website.

OPEN LETTER TO  PRESIDENT ZUMA

Dear President Zuma

In 1990, the attention of the world was on South Africa as we witnessed the release
of Nelson Mandela. His release from prison inspired hope in a South Africa free from
the tyranny of oppression and a society based on equality, freedom and the dignity of
all human beings.

Much has been achieved by the democratically elected government. For South Africa
to fully realise the dream of an equal and prosperous nation its children need to receive
the best quality education possible. Education remains the best weapon against poverty,
one that can bring about real change in the lives of the poorest members of society.

In the early 1950s both learners and their parents rejected the Bantu Education
system intended by the apostle of apartheid Hendrik Verwoerd to limit them to become
no more than hewers of wood and drawers of water. The youth of 1976 realised the
value of education in improving their circumstances and thus took to the streets to
demand a quality education.

The youth of today share the same passion and place the same value on receiving an
excellent education.

The eyes of the world are once again on South Africa as it celebrates the fantastic
achievement of hosting the first FIFA World Cup in Africa.

Equal Education is a new movement of young people, their parents, and teachers who
are advocating for that most fundamental of rights which gives people the tools to
better their lives. President Zuma, these young activists are a credit to South Africa and
our struggle for democracy and equality for all.

Both local and international research indicates that one way of improving literacy and
the overall academic performance of learners is for every public school to have a well
stocked and adequately staffed library. At present only 8% of schools in South Africa
have functioning libraries.

In his book, Long Walk to Freedom, Nelson Mandela wrote, “Education is the great
engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant
can become a doctor, that a son of a mine worker can become the head of that mine,
that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation.”

Nobel Prize Laureate Nadine Gordimer has repeatedly said that she became a writer
because there was a library in the small town she was born in, which she used during
her early age.

I am adding my name to the call by Equal Education for quality and equality in education
by supporting the ONE SCHOOL, ONE LIBRARY, ONE LIBRARIAN CAMPAIGN.

Sincerely,

A further 100 national and international activists, authors and leaders in education, from 40 different countries, have added their signature to Bizos’ call:

George Bizos

People's Post (Lansdowne) (8 June 2010,p.6  not available online)  reports that Easter Peak Primary in Manenberg, Cape Town, has a now has a library.      Teachers, interested parents and volunteers will be trained by a retired librarian.   The project was supported by Biblionef.