The Library Period: here to stay
Thousands of Malawi's Children attending primary schools probably have never heard of the term "Library Period". It wouldn't even come as a surprise if some official from the Ministry Education stated that they were not aware that some primary schools in Malawi had a library period. Some would even frown at the very idea of a library period in a primary school time table. But for some primary schools in Malawi, the library period has come to stay.
The year 2001 was the beginning of the second phase of the Malawi National Library Service(MNLS) library establishment project. The programme which aimed at improving the literate environment for Malawi's children, focussed on primary schools. A total of 70 schools from Chiradzulu, Machinga, Mangochi, Mzimba and Zomba were selected to be beneficiaries of the programme. Some of the selected schools had libraries but the libraries were struggling. Others were starting from a scratch. But all the schools had one thing in common; they all had no library period on their time table.
The first year of the programme mainly dwelt on procuring reading and information materials, procuring furniture for the libraries and training teacher-librarians in basic library management skills. All this was primarily aimed at getting the children in the selected schools and the surrounding community to read extensively. At the outset, the programme faced so many challenges ranging from attitude problems to lack of suitable rooms for the libraries.
After the establishment of the libraries in the primary schools, MNLS next major activitiy was to ensure that books and other materials in the libraries were being used and that the library was an integral part of the learning process in the schools.
To this end the MNLS requested all the participating schools to allocate a library period in the school time table. Those that could not do so, were requested to come with a mechanism that would ensure that all the pupils at the school had access to the books in the library. The hope was that as children got into contact with various reading and information on regular basis, their interest to read would be stimulated more and more. A few schools bought the library period idea and implementated the recommendation. With so many subjects competing for time and without prior authorisation from the education authorities - quite a good number of schools struggled with the idea. They did not implement the recommendation. Some schools who had adopted the idea, were soon stopped from countinuing with the implementation by officers from Local Education Authorities. This prompted the MNLS to start talking with concerned Principal Education Adviser on the importance of such periods.
By and by more schools started integrating the library period into their time tables - still it was left up to the school to come up with mechanisms to ensure that all pupils in their schools visited the library.
Today it is a different story altogether. Virtually all the schools under the programme have introduced a library period in their time tables. It is heartening to note that children in the schools actually look forward to the library period as well as the library open hours. This is the time that they have a chance to look at picture books, readers, magazines and newspapers of their choice. It is also a time for them to enjoy reading as the reading is not exam oriented. When one visits the schools especially those that have various reading promotion programmes, one can't help feel that the libraries have become alive and are an integral part of the schools. Examples of such schools include Thale, Ekwenden, Madise, Luwawa in Mzimba. In the South, you have Malavi, Chiradzulu, Namazizi, Namandanje Songani and St Martins.
Let the children read, build libraries.
After the establishment of the libraries in the primary schools, MNLS next major activitiy was to ensure that books and other materials in the libraries were being used and that the library was an integral part of the learning process in the schools.
To this end the MNLS requested all the participating schools to allocate a library period in the school time table. Those that could not do so, were requested to come with a mechanism that would ensure that all the pupils at the school had access to the books in the library. The hope was that as children got into contact with various reading and information on regular basis, their interest to read would be stimulated more and more. A few schools bought the library period idea and implementated the recommendation. With so many subjects competing for time and without prior authorisation from the education authorities - quite a good number of schools struggled with the idea. They did not implement the recommendation. Some schools who had adopted the idea, were soon stopped from countinuing with the implementation by officers from Local Education Authorities. This prompted the MNLS to start talking with concerned Principal Education Adviser on the importance of such periods.
By and by more schools started integrating the library period into their time tables - still it was left up to the school to come up with mechanisms to ensure that all pupils in their schools visited the library.
Today it is a different story altogether. Virtually all the schools under the programme have introduced a library period in their time tables. It is heartening to note that children in the schools actually look forward to the library period as well as the library open hours. This is the time that they have a chance to look at picture books, readers, magazines and newspapers of their choice. It is also a time for them to enjoy reading as the reading is not exam oriented. When one visits the schools especially those that have various reading promotion programmes, one can't help feel that the libraries have become alive and are an integral part of the schools. Examples of such schools include Thale, Ekwenden, Madise, Luwawa in Mzimba. In the South, you have Malavi, Chiradzulu, Namazizi, Namandanje Songani and St Martins.
Let the children read, build libraries.
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