Library targets schools

National, Normal
Source:

The National- Friday, January 14, 2011

 By DULCIE OREKE

THE National library is hopeful of assisting as many schools it can in its 2011 plans to develop school libraries.

From the allocated budget of K11 million by the government, the library highlighted plans to impact children’s education, acting director general Karina Serena said on Wednesday.

She said K11 million was “big money” which the library would aid the development of school libraries from selected schools at the elementary level to secondary and technical and vocational schools.

She said the library planned to spend on books, training workshops for teachers and manpower to run the project. 

Serena said they also planned provincial visits to select which schools would be involved in the project. 

She, however, pointed out that the national library would provide books only and ensuring that books were safe and used by students and not for other purposes adding  that the buildings would be the responsibility of the schools and Education Department. 

Milne Bay, New Ireland and Eastern Highlands have been selected as pilot provinces. When asked why that was so, Serena said the main reason was that the selected provinces had existing libraries.

She highlighted the top library was hopeful to cover eight provinces and by covering 10 schools would be a bonus.