Letter From Department of Education 23 August 2010

Submitted by PCR Admin on Tue, 08/24/2010 - 03:37

 

Equal Education                                                                    2010-08-23

Khayelitsha

 

 

For attention: Doron Isaacs

 

 

A big thank you from the GDE: Library Unit and Library Facilitators in districts for the excellent work EE is doing. We appreciate EE’s hard work and commitment to education.

 

The lack of a National School Library policy is serious and constantly needs to be under the attention of government. Absence of school libraries has a  negative effect on teaching and learning, and we experience it first hand in Gauteng schools.

 

You are an extension of our hands and we applaud the way in which you address this crucial matter.

Letter to Bobby Soobrayan 2 March 2010

Submitted by PCR Admin on Wed, 03/10/2010 - 00:27

2 March 2010

To view the original letter click here

Request for Information Relating to National Norms and Standards for School Infrastructure, National Policy for Equitable School Physical Teaching and Learning Environment and a National Policy on School Libraries

 

Dear Mr. Soobryan

 

1. I am writing on behalf of Equal Education. Equal Education is a movement of learners, parents, teachers and community members striving for quality education and equality in education in South Africa.

 

2. Equal Education has embarked on a campaign for school libraries, which calls for a national policy that will provide every school in South Africa with a library, and a librarian. Currently, only about 8% of schools have functional libraries in the country; Functional in that they meet all

3 criteria: 1. There is a structure set aside for a library; 2. The library is appropriately stocked (at least 3 books per learner); 3. That there is a full-time Librarian on staff.

 

3. The Department of Education has acknowledged the inequalities in our schooling system and the need for provision of school libraries and basic infrastructure in schools. Research shows that access to functional libraries will increase learner outcomes by up to 25%. The education department has also accepted, through its draft policy documents, that there is a correlation between learner outcomes and access to basic infrastructure such as libraries, laboratories and textbooks, in its draft policy documents.

 

4. The Department of Education made progress by drafting these following documents: draft policy on access to equitable physical school environment, and draft regulations on school infrastructure. However, the Department of Education has made six draft policies on school libraries and still no policy exist.

Open Letter to WCED announcement on Libraries

Submitted by administrator on Mon, 08/10/2009 - 00:01

To view the original letter click here

8 September 2009

RESPONSE TO WCED ANNOUNCEMENT ON LIBRARIES

 

Dear Mr Schreuder,

Equal Education and the Campaign for School Libraries

1. Equal Education [EE] is a movement of learners, parents, teachers and community members working for quality and equality in South African education, through analysis and activism.

2. Presently, we are engaged in a Campaign for School Libraries. The campaign is explained during the course of this letter. We would welcome to opportunity to meet with you and brief you more fully.

3. Over 17,000 people have signed the petition attached as an appendix to this letter. These will be handed over to a representative of the national Department of Education on September 22, after the Walk for School Libraries.

4. Many seminars, marches, pickets and countless meetings, involving hundreds of people, have gone into building this campaign, and will continue to sustain it.

5. It will continue until such time as there is agreement on a national policy on school libraries, on the basis of the progressive realisation, within a reasonable time frame, for the provision of a library for every school.

Syndicate content