Without access to computers, the pupils at at Mbekamuzo Combined School in Thembeni, Groutville have to do their projects and study the old fashioned way, using books.

But there’s the rub. According to Grade six teacher Charlene Shunmugun, who is is determined to revitalise the school’s library, “the school lost most of the books when it was renovated a few years back.

“Books were stolen and some were damaged by rain. Some of the books that were given to us are adult fiction and we cannot allow grade six pupils to read those books. We need children’s fiction and reference books,” said Shunmugun.

She said it was heart-breaking to see pupils with a thirst for knowledge using outdated books for their assignment and projects.

“Every lunch break they come to read the books and we also have a reading club and it is affected by the shortage of books at the school’s library,” she said.

It’s National Book Week from Monday September 5 to Sunday September 11 and Literacy Day on September 8.

Reading statistics report that only 14% of the South African population are active book readers, and a mere 5% of parents read to their children.

A 2007 study that revealed that over half of South African households (51%) do not have a single leisure reading book.

So National Book Week is an important initiative in encouraging the nation to value reading as a fun and pleasurable activity and to showcase how reading can easily be incorporated into one’s daily lifestyle.

Having as few as 20 books in the home is proven to have a significant impact in propelling a child to higher levels of education.

The benefits of reading include:

• Improving imagination
• Increasing intelligence
• Boosting brainpower
• Building vocabulary
• Increasing productivity
• Improving cultural diversity and social cohesion
• Economic empowerment

Do your bit to help:

Join The North Coast Courier‘s book week book drive to fill the empty library shelves at Mbekamuzo Combined School in Thembeni, Groutville.

Let’s help Charlene Shunmugun, in her quest to satiate the pupils’ hunger for knowledge.

Fill the shelves of their school library with both fiction and non-fiction books and library furniture.

Please drop off books you wish to donate at The North Coast Courier office in 1 Ballito Drive, Ballito (above the Ballito Veterinary Hospital).

Call Shunmugun on 078 416 3110 if you have furniture to donate to the library.

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