"If the kids can't reach the books, the books should come to the kids. This is the idea of the mobile library service", writes Jolien De Norre. End of 2014, she completes an internship with VVOB in South Africa. During her internship she has the opportunity to travel along with a mobile library. Read her story below.
Reading is not obvious
"Be smart. Read books!" This is the message of one of the posters at the entrance of the District Teacher Development Centre (DTDC) of the Welkom district of the Free State province. It seems obvious as reading is an important part of my live. But what if you just don't have access to books? A teacher here once told me that she has students in grade 8 (13 and 14 years old) who can't read and write.
Free State province is a very rural area in South Africa, with large distances between the cities and villages. Only a minority of the schools have their own libraries. Most schools do not have the resources to achieve this. According to national statistics, only 16.8% of South African schools and 15.3% of the schools in the Free State have a library (NEIMS report, October 2014). Many areas have so much poverty and unemployment that kids don't have access to books at home either. The difference between city schools and rural schools is striking on many aspects. The access to a wide range of books is an important example of this.
Bringing the books to the kids
If the kids can't reach the books, the books should come to the kids. This is the idea of the mobile library service, the colourful little bus bringing books from place to place. In the Free State, the Japanese government and some Japanese companies support this programme via the NGO South African Primary Education Support Initiative.
I join the mobile library staff for one morning to observe the work they do. Today no books are lent. They only collect books. We therefore don't take the bus but go by car. Upon arrival at the first school I don't realize this is the school. The school consists of one little building, with only one classroom. On the left side, the pupils from grade 4 to 7 are writing a history test and on the right side, the little ones from grade 1 to 3 are working quietly. In the middle is the desk of the head teacher. The room is full of smoke. I soon discover the reason for this. Behind the desk is a little stove with a cooking pot on top. Now and then, the head teacher walks towards it to stir whatever is being cooked. Many children arrive at school with an empty stomach, and get a meal here.
After the books are scanned via a computer program on the laptop, we leave for the next school. This one is a bit larger and has two separate classrooms. Next to the building are some solar panels and a water tank. The children are writing a math test when we enter the classroom. Despite this interruption they don't let themselves be distracted. Usually, the mobile library staff ask the pupils to read a little bit when they come to collect the books. But as the pupils are doing their exam papers now, they don’t ask this. The principal however is asked to complete a questionnaire, in order to verify in what way the books are being used, if the pupils progress, etc… We then only have one more school to go to, which basically is a container with two classrooms.
Impact on the learning outcomes
Back in Welkom I talk with Annemarie. She is the resource coordinator of the DTDC.
"The teachers are pleased with this service", tells Annemarie. "They say that the results of the pupils in reading, spelling and vocabulary have improved. The teachers can also request books for their own use, to assist with their professional development.
Without the mobile library, schools do have some books. But because the pupils always read the same books over and over again, they know them by heart and 'parrot' them instead of really reading. When there is more choice and more attention to it, pupils enjoy reading more. Unfortunately there is not much support from home, since in the rural areas many parents are illiterate themselves", explains Annemarie.
Being responsible for the library is a very rewarding job, according to Annemarie. When she goes to visit schools she always takes a big sports bag with her, filled with educational games. The days she spends on her desk she helps the students studying at the DTDC when they have to search for information for their homework. During the exam periods, the DTDC is always full with learners who enjoy the quietness. There is air conditioning, enough light, and a safe environment.
VVOB will support a study on the impact of the mobile library on the school results. Until now, there has been close to no research done on this in South Africa. Annemarie and two of her colleagues will conduct this study together with the University of the Free State. They will be trained in 'Participatory Action Research'. They had a first workshop about this last week. Good luck to them!
Jolien De Norre
Intern at VVOB South Africa, December 2014
