New library for pupils or Library for pupils opens
Equal Education (EE) and The Bookery opened a new library for pupils at Thuto-Ke-Maatla Secondary School on Thursday last week.
The school did not have a library previously.
EE and The Bookery have donated 4 500 books, as well as a computer and an accompanying digital library management system.
Speaking at the opening of the new library, EE youth organiser, Ms Tracey Malawana who coordinated the launch of the library, said it was great to see pupils and teachers grow excited about the library.
“The youth of South Africa are hungry for opportunities to read. We are proud to have been a part of an effort to provide them with this opportunity. This is the first school library EE has donated in Gauteng. Since we are in partnership with The Bookery, we have now built 33 school libraries in the past four years. This is part of a campaign to ensure every school in South Africa has a functioning library. Nearly 92 percent of public schools in South Africa do not have functional libraries. Those that do, are almost entirely former model C schools, which have the resources to stock and staff these facilities,” said Ms Malawana.
Ms Malawana added that approximately 20 000 schools are still without libraries, thereby denying pupils access to regular reading opportunities.
“In addition, EE student members and supporters have been working for weeks for the preparations of the new library,” she added.
Equal Education Gauteng Co-Head, Ms Adam Bradlow, said they are excited to be working with Thuto-Ke-Maatla to launch their first library in Gauteng.
“It is sad that only 8 percent of public schools in South Africa have a functioning library. Today, one more does. We want to thank the School Governing Body (SGB), teachers and staff at Thuto-Ke-Maatla for their support in making this happen. Since we were formed in 2008, EE has been striving for quality and equality in the South African education system.We have been involved in a national ‘Campaign for School Libraries’ to ensure every school has a functioning library. Each library we establish contains a minimum of three books per pupil, per school, and caters for the needs and interests of its readership through a comprehensive selection of fiction, non-fiction and reference works,” she added.
With over 1 600 pupils, Thuto-Ke-Maatla Secondary School now has a diverse collection of non-fiction books including Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom as well as fiction books including the complete Harry Potter series. There is also a collection of graphic novels.
Some pupils at the school have volunteered to serve as library monitors in order to encourage their classmates to read and use the library responsibly.
Meanwhile, the teachers have committed to developing assignments that will bring pupils into the new library space.
A grade 9 pupil, Dorris Moloto who was among the first to check out Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom, said she was happy about the new library.
“I believe the library will serve us right in terms of improving our reading and writing skills. We will be exposed to novels and good stories. I am confident my English language skills will improve. And, as monitors, we will make sure pupils use the library in an acceptable manner,” she said.
The school principal, Mr Thabo Ramoshaba, said they are grateful for the donation.
“We did not have a functional library. We appreciate everything Equal Education and The Bookery have done for our pupils,” he said.
The Bookery is an organisation started by Equal Education, which opens school libraries. It is based in Cape Town.
