Leaders: Use DSIP to buy books

 IF having the school libraries weren’t enough, there was a provincial or town library where students from nearby schools were encouraged to borrow books from there.  

What I learnt there was that they entrusted us to borrow books to read and return it after two weeks.  

We in turn learnt to be responsible enough to read the book and return it before the due date.  

If we didn’t return it after two weeks, a reminder would be sent by the town librarian to our head teacher who would remind us at the school assembly.  

To save us from being openly embarrassed we learned to be responsible enough to read the book and return it on the due date. Many of my mates would just return it even if they have not read it although they could re-borrow. 

I remember that in a town like Goroka, there were six outlets other than the libraries that served as bookshops and news agents.  

There were so many printed materials such as books and magazines. A reading culture was encouraged by our teachers.  

For those who could afford to buy books, the bookshops were there.  

Many students could only afford to buy comics (such as Kung Fu, Spiderman, Tarzan etc.) which were not only popular then but affordable and the comics did the rounds in school for the comic readers.  

There is probably less number of bookshops in general across the country reflective of our attitude towards books in general and reading in particular.

Student’s level of spoken and written English was excellent. Students could confidently converse in English as well as write in English.  

Through reading, students were able to improve their mastery of vocabularies, sentence structures, grammar and proper use of English.  

In-school and inter-school debates were held at the highest level with confidence arguing for and against a given topic. Students were able to conduct research, prepare their arguments and present their position in a more civilised form of expressing their views as a result of debating.  

Students were able to develop a mastery of English words, form plausible sentences and paragraphs to logically argue their case.  

Unfortunately, that is no longer the case now. Now students use broken English and supplement that from time to time with Pidgin to clarify where they can’t construct a coherent sentence.  

Their writings are likely to reflect the way they speak. That is a reflection of the type of learning they acquired with limited exposure to books in general and reading in particular which further limits them to speak English to communicate confidently with others.

Hard decisions to buy books to induce quality learning

Hard decisions have to be made to invest in buying books for schools. The Department of Education’s ‘READ PNG’ programme is an excellent initiative to buy books to supplement teaching and learning resources in schools.  

The ‘READ PNG’ programme can only buy one title per school. That means this programme can only buy one book (title) per school.  

Given that the textbook per student ratio (1 to 7 or 10 students), that one title purchased for a school with student population ranging from 100 to 1000 or more students leaves that one book highly vulnerable to increased wear and tear in minimum of time. That book is bound to fall into pieces within the first year or so. However, if the life-span of a book is to be extended beyond a year, a class set of a book could be bought to improve the textbook per student ratio and lower the wear and tear of the book.  

The READ PNG programme has a limited budget but if the limited funds were diverted to off-set another cost area that is unrelated to help students read then there will be less number of books available for schools and therefore less opportunity for students to have access to books.  

Those in authority concerned with providing quality education should be the first to cry foul and hold those responsible for diverting funds accountable for their action.  

If we condone diversion of funds then let’s stop crying for quality education because the funds to purchase books for the school is no longer there or is spent on something other than books.  

Our leaders may need to use some of their DSIP funds to buy books. 

Buying books for schools by our leaders is rare. When you buy books for schools you are investing in quality education. You are not only investing in this one year but for the many years to come.  

You are helping to improve the Textbook per student ratio in your respective district.   

You are giving an intellectual opportunity for students to learn through reading. A certain percentage (about 20%) of the DSIP funds was to be used for building school infrastructure to cater for overcrowding.  

Building classrooms, dormitories and teachers houses will help improve ease the overcrowding prob­lem in the schools and provide a home for a teacher but will not directly enhance quality inputs into the students learning.  

Neglecting buying textbooks or books in general means you neglect an important variable (as an input) to providing quality education in schools.  

When public funds are not invested in quality teaching and learning resources then we have not planted the correct seed for achieving quality education and therefore we must not expect quality education as an output from our students. 

I am a writer and I have published five books under my own name. Someone told me that he will subject my books to a vetting process before a decision is made to buy the books.  

That is fine because any published work is subject to scrutiny, critique and review by equally motivated and learned critics. I didn’t write it for a specific school subject such as Mathematics or Science even though I had the professional training in both subjects.  

I could only manage to write the Melanesian School Mathematics Dictionary published by Longmans in Australia in 1998 to accompany the Grades 3 to 12 school mathematics textbook used in the country and it is being widely used in Melanesian countries.  

However, my other books were written to share my experiences and give opportunities to readers especially students.   

Most of all, my books have greater relevance for use by students and teachers in personal development and good citizenship. 

I have identified PNG students as my primary target readership.  

That makes it relevant. Much is yet to be written about positive character development and inculcated through our school system to develop responsible and respectable citizens.   

My best seller is Path to Success published in India in 2003 where I have seen many students and their parents being emotionally touched to change their attitudes after they read this book.  

Many students who read this book told me that their life changed from reading my book.  

That’s the intended positive impact I would like to see my books have on those who are able to read and understand.  

What is relevant is that there is an added opportunity for readers of my books to get acquainted with over 20,000 vocabularies if they are keen to learn and are prepared to go a step further.  

Such an opportunity to be exposed to thousands of vocabularies is one way to learn the words in English language.  

Even the context in which they are used helps form a good example to learn how, when and where to apply the vocabularies.