Challenges in establishing and maintaining functional school libraries: Lessons from Limpopo Province, South Africa
Mojapelo, Samuel Maredi
Most governments, particularly in poor and developing African countries, are hesitant to pledge themselves through a legislated school
library policy to roll out an active and sustainable library and information service for their schools to improve the quality of education.
In South Africa, providing schools with a well-resourced and well-staffed library and information service is even more challenging
because of the inheritance of the apartheid education system prior to 1994. The article is limited to just one part of a research project
which investigated the resource provision in public high schools in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The purpose of the study was
to investigate challenges that negatively affect the establishment and sustainability of an active and vigorous library and information
service for all schools in Limpopo Province. The study was largely quantitative, blended with triangulation of both quantitative and
qualitative methods for data collection. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data from the principals or
teacher-librarians at schools, while an interview schedule was used to collect qualitative data from education officials through faceto-
face interviews. The findings established that there are daunting challenges which hinder effective establishment and maintenance
of functional school library and information service. The national Department of Basic Education has a responsibility to ensure that
school library policy is formulated, endorsed and implemented as a matter of urgency. The Government should also fast-track rural
development to enable teachers and learners, particularly those in historically disadvantaged rural black communities, to access library
materials in other amenities.
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