Minister wants libraries established throughout the country

By LUKE KAMA in Kerema
EDUCATION Minister Nick Kuman says the Government, through the Office of National Library and Archives, is looking at partnering provincial and open MPs to establish libraries throughout the country.
Kuman said this in Kerema, Gulf, yesterday when launching the 2018 National Book Week there.
The weeklong annual event will be observed and celebrated in schools until Friday.
Kuman, vice-minister for education and Sumkar MP (Madang) Chris Nangoi, Gulf Governor Chris Haiveta, Office of National Library and Archives director-general Kakaito Kasi, deputy chairman of the National Library and Archives board of trustees Professor Steven Winduo, officials from the Gulf provincial administration and students from more than 40 primary and secondary schools in Kerema witnessed the launching yesterday.
Kuman said the Government needed to revert to the old system of books and libraries and not depend on e-books, e-libraries, mobile phones and internet which were being abused by young people which were lowering the level of literacy in the country.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Gulf government and the Office of National Library and Archives to build a national library in Kerema town.
Kuman said it was the first in the country where a provincial government had come on board to partner the Education Department to build a library in the province and urged other provincial and district governments to do likewise.
“The establishment of libraries in the country has fallen since the 1980s when the government made a decision to decentralise the function of managing national libraries and return them to provincial governments,” he said.