Evaluation of phase 2 of LPYL
Appendix A

Appendix A consists of a description of the situation of the project schools at the end of the project, as found in the reports by the Project Manager. I have added quotes from the school reports to the list (in bullets). As an introduction to each school, I have taken quotes from the reports from the school visits, which I think describe the physical situation of the school quite well.

Added to those quotes, I have put views and comments from the closing conference in Johannesburg in June 2002. I have picked opinions from the provincially grouped discussions, which I have considered of special interest to the developing of school library at the project school. For a full reproduction of questions and answers, see Appendix C.

EASTERN CAPE

Kwa Ntshunge Junior Secondary School
Ca 600 learners, 15 teachers. Grade R to Grade 9

"The road leading to the school is approximately 30 kilometers of rugged, sloping farm road with obstacles throughout the route. There are no fax and no telephone at the school."(Status Report (SR): Eastern Cape, 16-17/05/00, p. 1)

• A school library committee has been established with representatives from the teachers, teacher-librarian, parents, learners and School Management team. The committee meets regularly.
• Few visits by the Media Advisor on provincial level.
• A network has been started by 21 schools. The school library committee is facilitating the work in those schools.
• No big progresses regarding integration of the library in the teaching and learning.
• TV and video is about to be purchased.
• The media stock has improved. Literature in the mother tongue has been purchased.
• The library room has been improved,
• The library is still not part of the school budget.
• A very successful workshop introducing the manuals has taken place.

"KwaNtshunque Junior Secondary School is part of a cluster of 21 schools in the surrounding area. Currently, the school library committee is assisting a nearby school to establish a school library". (SR: Eastern Cape, 2-4/04/01, p.4)

"There has been a marked improvement in the layout and appearance of the library since the second project visit"---"There have not been any visits by the library advisors since the second project visit. During Phase Two of the project, the only occasions on which the library advisors have visited the school are when the project visits have taken place". (SR: Eastern Cape 8-10/10/01, p.3)

s

"The activities of the library committee in this regard are currently focused on helping other schools in the area to develop school libraries. Viceroy was congratulated for a major achievement concerning the opening of the new school in the area. Due to his influence, a library space was built as part of the school.

(Ibid., p. 4)

• "Prompted school librarians to establish a living library e.g. educators utilise library resources for teaching and learning. Also neighbouring schools are benefiting"
• "Encouraged direct contact sessions with schools; established school library committees, supplied library material to cluster schools formed by our project school"
• The project changed the perceptions of the school library " in a way, but not as a result of the project but as a result of constant discussions understanding of concept, but not perceptions."

 

FREE STATE

Bodibeng Ba Thuto Intermediate
(Bodibeng Ba Thuto means "Fountain of knowledge"!
About 150 learners; 5 teachers. Grade 1 – 9.

"The school has no telephone and no fax. There are no signposts on the rural roads. Many local adults and children can only assist with directions in Xhosa. Learners from Grade 5 – 12 can assists in English and Afrikaans.

The office/library room has burglar bars to secure the safety of the school records, TV, VCR and photocopier. Despite the cold cement floors and a plenitude of grass in the area there are no mats on any floors. Thus, when the grades 1 and 2 learners came into the office/library room they had to carry chairs in from the classroom. "(SR: Free State, 8-9/05/00, s. 1-3)

• A school library committee exists and meets regularly, but is not firmly established in the organisation of the school.
• Regular visits by the media/library advisor
• Planning is running in accordance to the application of the grant
• Public library co-operation is establishing. Educational support is provided by the public library.
• Library integration in teaching and learning is not satisfactory
• TV, Video and copy machine are available after provision of resources.
• Literature in the mother tongue will be purchased by means of the grant.
• The school library is also the head master's room. Tiny, but well organised.
• The school library is part of the school budget. The budget has been strengthened by donations.
• A successful workshop.

"Donations of resources in mother tongue by Bibliotnef: This NGO has sent a box of books to the school. READ has also donated resources. Approximately 30 % of the resources however could not be used because they were out of date. Some mother tongue resources were also purchased for the library with the project grant. Talking books have been made for the library by recording learners reading stories."

(SR: Free State, 18-20/09/01, p. 4)

"Rose Kabi had organised a workshop on school libraries at the school. Four local schools had attended the workshop. Another workshop was hold to support the development of the links between local schools with regard to school library development". (Ibid p. 5)

"There has been some progress with establishing a relationship with the Public Library. 10 library monitors have been taken by the assistant teacher-librarian to the public library for training. The training covered library administration, the organisation of the collection and how to find and use information. The group was trained by the public librarian over three days in short sessions". (Ibid. p. 6)

"Free membership of the library was one of the goals aimed at by the public librarian, Sarie Baadjies, as a result of her participation in the Sweden Exchange Study Tour."

• Books were processed and accessioned
• A Library Policy and Action Plan was developed
• Integration of library into the classroom
• Workshops were conducted
• Learners cannot access the library as expected
• The library is also far from the community
• Alphabetic Centre is not yet established thus impacts negatively on the use of the library, the collection of cultural artefacts is not successful yet
• The successes of the project will be adapted into the school programme "through integration of library into the curriculum."
• The Project changed perceptions about the role of school library "in the neighbourhood e.g. one neighbouring School-Assumption."

 

GAUTENG

AB Xuma Primary School
Grades 1 – 7; ca 690 learners; 19 teachers

"The area of Orlando East is the oldest in Soweto. The local community is poor and those that are employed derive income from street trading, local small enterprises, laundry and housing cleaning services etc. Many of the children are left living with grandparents existing on meagre state pensions. The parents stay nearer to or at their places on employment e.g. as live-in domestic workers in the middle class suburbs of Johannesburg. As was the apartheid spatial design of townships to cluster an ethnic group together, the children attending A B Xuma Primary are first language isZulu speakers. ( S.R.: Gauteng, 20/06/00, p.1 f)

• A very active school library committee, which meets regularly. However not a sub committee to School Governing Body. The committee works together with other committees in school and other schools to inspire them to start school libraries.
• 15 primary schools and two secondary have been inspired to start school libraries.
• Whisky Monama (Orlando Public Library) has had the role of library advisor during the bigger part of the project period. Finally a new advisor has been appointed, but has not within the project period visited the school.
• The school library committee had finally developed a very good school library plan.
• A very well functioning co-operation has been developed with Orlando Public Library. The school library committee tells other schools to do the same.
• The school library well integrated into teaching and learning. A good understanding and realisation of the importance of the school library by the School Management Team and the staff.
• Active participation from the teachers in developing the stock.
• The grant has been used to buying a mix of fiction and non-fiction books, videocassettes and magazines.
• A "three model library" available to the school: central school library, classroom and community.
• A very successful workshop which followed the manuals. Whisky Monama gave "dynamic glimpses" from her trip to Sweden.
• The library is part of the school budget. Financial support from different NGOs

"The school had operated a classroom box library system for more than 20 years but in 1998 following the study tour in Sweden the central library started and it currently runs parallel with the classroom box library system. Defiencies in the size of the box library collection and the school's vision of having a library and computer centre for parents were some of the reasons for the change to a central library." (S.R.: Gauteng, 20/06/00, p. 3)

"A discussion was held with the library committee concerning consultation between the educators and the teacher-librarian with regard to the selection of library resources. It was agreed that the library committee would consult with the educator team concerning the resources to be purchased with the school library grant."( S.R.: Gauteng, 26-27/03/01, p.5)

• A.B.Xuma has influenced other schools to start Libraries and formulate School Library Policy e.g. 15 Primary School and 2 Secondary School
• Regular workshops
• Advisory service
• Involvement of the community librarian
• The successes will be adapted into the school programme because school has integrated the successes of the Project into the curriculum
• Hands on training organised in the community library
• Reading and performance – stories
• Encouraging learners to write – poem
• Province has confidence in the school – story telling
• It has brought schools to work together
• Other community libraries have adopted the same practice of working together with their neighbouring schools

 

KWA ZULU NATAL

Msinga High School
"Boarding establishment" Academic and commerce stream subjects-
8 – 12 Grades. Only 50 % passed the exams
Nine teachers; 275 learners

"Telephones not working. No fax machine. The school is situated in the poorest region in the district. The road between Pomeroy and Ladysmith passes settlements that are not near to any town and without any obvious economic base with employment possibilities for residents. The Msinga district was once part of the former KwaZulu homeland in which communities were densely crowded on land that was not arable and could not sufficiently support herds and subsistence farming. As a result the district of Msinga was ranked as the poorest in the province in 1995. Families continue to be dependent on income from adult males who work as migrant labourers in cities such as Pietermaritburg and Durban and as miners in Gauteng, or the meagre government pensions for the aged and disabled. The poverty in the area has also caused friction in the community leading to factions fighting over land and other valuable resources. The community still falls under the strong influence of traditional leaders, a characteristic of deep rural districts.

Msinga is among the deep rural district in KwaZulu-Natal that have historically been denied resources under apartheid and the homeland system, and have suffered from an almost complete lack of urban infrastructural or agricultural investment.

There has been talk for some while about the school closing down, due to a lack of sufficient learners and previous unrest at the school a couple of years ago still influencing conditions there.

The school is in a poor state of repair and has an atmosphere of problems and difficulties about it." (S.R.: KwaZuluNatal, 06/06/00, p. 2)

• A very weak library committee. Total lack of interest from the School Management Team.
• Insufficient support from provincial level. Somewhat improved when discussing the grant.
• Working with different plans gave no result.
• No network has been established, partly due to long distances.
• No integration in teaching and learning. No support or interest from the teachers.
• No books have been purchased since 1998.
• The grant was given to another school.
• The library is most of all a storeroom.
• Successful workshop.
• The library is not part of the school's budget.
• A bigger interest of libraries was found at a nearby primary school, to which the teacher librarian finally has devoted her efforts.

"A presentation was made at the workshop by Thokoxa Sikhosana regarding his learning experiences about schools and other libraries during the study tour to Sweden. He highlighted in particular the relationship between public and school libraries in Sweden. He talked about how Swedish children are introduced to books almost as soon as they are born and the value placed on reading and education in Sweden". (S.R.: KwaZuluNatal, 20-22/11/01, p. 7)

Mkhuphulangwenya Primary School

260 learners, Gr 1- 7; six teachers.
Was brought into the project during the last year of the project.

• Well functioning school library committee firmly based in school.
• The teacher librarian at Msinga High School is supporting the school library.
• The school is a member of the Regional School Libraries Committee
• The library is not integrated in the teaching and learning
• The library is part of the budget.

"The school is a member of the local Regional School Libraries Committee. The school has a library committee comprising the Principal, educators, a parent, the teacher-librarian, an SGB member as well as the teacher-librarian from Msinga High School". (Ibid. p.2)

• Promoted Awareness
• 13 schools benefited through a series of workshops
• Strategies formulated
• New status for School libraries
• Integrating School + into the curriculum
• Budgeting Skills
• Grant/Training
• Changing perceptions about the role of school libraries where lobbying/advocacy/networking took place

 

MPUMALANGA

Mayibuye High School

"The school has a large learner population of 1 500 and 40 educators and all 21 classrooms are in use. The school's largest class size is 130. The school does not have adequate space for sports ground considering the large learner population but it does have a good infrastructure when compared to the buildings and the community homes that surround the school. The school services a rural, mainly immigrant community that have low economic resources." 16/08/00 p. 2)

• Active school library committee. The headmaster is part of it.
• No provincial support, no visits by ELIS
• There is a school library plan.
• The idea of networking with Kalie De Haas Primary school has not been working. The distances are to long and the telephone calls too expensive. Three primary schools are using the library. Discussions with the public library are going on.
• Big activity in the library and attempts to integrate in the teaching and learning
• The stock has been improved
• The premises are unsatisfactory being a redressed classroom with bad accessibility.
• Not integrated in the school budget.
• A very successful workshop. 17 teachers from schools in the area.

"Mrs Maslalela attended the preliminary weekend seminar in Johannesburg in October 2000. After the seminar, she reported that she had gained a lot that had motivated her to continue working with the school library. She had now explained the importance of the school library to the educator team and was encouraging educators to make use of the library. Educators were responding positively and were now planning projects jointly with the library. Displays and exhibitions of resources and materials were being mounted in the school library on a regular basis, as a result of reading the booklet 15 Innovative Ways With Your Learning Resources. The booklet was distributed at the seminar." (S.R.: Mpumalanga: Mayibuye High School, 14-16/03/01 s. 3)

Mehlwana High School

No landline or fax
The school opened in 1991 and was built by Eskom Company in this disadvantaged area. The school library was established in 1999.
This school was brought into the project during phase 2 according to wishes from Sam Ndawo, Head of Education Library and Information Service (ELIS).

• Weak committee. Insufficient integration in school.
• Insufficient support from the library advisor
• School library plan, development plan and budget plan has been developed.
• Well functioning links to the public library.
• The integration in the educational process not successful, despite a well-stocked library. OBE is not accepted.
• The stock is new and in good condition. Two mobile box libraries have been donated by ELIS.
• No decisions about the grant.
• The premises are light and big.
• Regular workshops.
• The teacher librarian very much inspired by "15 Innovative Ways…"

"The lack of support by the SMT (School Management Team) for the school library as a full time facility at the school is a contribution reason to the reduction in numbers of the committee. The SMT believes that the school library should be viewed as an extramural activity----There is also apparently a big resistance to OBE in the school because "it is too much work" and there is a lack of understanding about the difference between planning and integration by means of joint learning programme and activity development between the teacher-librarian and the educators." S.R.: 29-31/10/01 p. 2f)

• Capacity building
• Changing of attitudes i.e. stakeholders
• The library is integrated in the whole system
• The perceptions of the school library has changed, the circuit and district managers support and understand
• Workshop are conducted

 

NORTH WEST PROVINCE

E P Lekhela Primary School
785 learners, 21 teachers Gr 1 – Gr 6

"The school is well built and has a very pleasant appearance. The area where the school is located is also well laid out with neat, well built houses in the immediate vicinity where most of the teachers appear to live. The school was established in 1993." (S.R: North West Province, 10-11/08/00, p. 3)

• A very active school library committee, well integrated in the organisation of the school
• Strong support from the media advisors; many visits
• Very well written plans; school library policy, development plan, action plan, budget plan. The Project manager recommends them as "Best Practice"
• A well functioning network (incl. the public library and the museum). The school library is regarded as a model school library to other schools. Discussions of starting "adult education classes".
• Integration in the teaching and learning is on its way. The teachers are part of the discussion on selecting media to the public library. "Planning and learning activities" assisted by the school library; "Timetabling in the library"
• Well organised stock; A rich selection of "library related resources"
• Tiny but well organised premises; colourful chairs and tables, exhibitions; Plans for a new library.
• The school library is part of the school budget. There is a special fund raising committee that is responsible of providing means to the library of the school.
• Successful workshop, where 17 teachers took part. The teacher librarian told the audience about her visit to Sweden.

"The school library has been established and progressed swiftly as a result of the Sweden trips in 1997 and 1998 and is envisaged as a cluster school library and a model library for the province". (Ibid. p. 5)

"Issues discussed at library committee meetings are: LPYL Project issues and activities, planning and organising workshops, time tabeling of class visits to the library, attendance at district meetings and seminars, visits to the library by teachers from other schools for training and advice, library activities and events, library orientation sessions for learners, book selection, resource management and library policy and planning". S.R.: North West Province, 21-23/03/01 p. 3)

• Refinement of Provincial School library policy and development of school library. Policy, development and action plan.
• Project grant led to increased resources and development of financial management skills
• Participation in the project led to increased school library budget allocation from funds
• Partnerships: Public libraries + School libraries
• Networking: neighbouring schools
• Library Patron: key community leader who assists with fundraising activities for the library.
• Reports – Quarterly Reports improved report writing skills
• School libraries are more focused and goal directed.

NORTHERN CAPE
Pabellelo High School
650 learners; 22 teachers, Gr 6 – 12

"The school is named after the township of Pabellelo, a residential which leaves a mixed impression of poverty, unemployment, some employment, hope and some development. People there have made the effort to develop gardens around their homes and the presence of small businesses gives evidence of growing self-employment. The area is very dry and dusty, with large open spaces in this semi-desert terrain." (S.R.: Northern Cape Province, 16-17/08/00 p. 4)

• The school library committee meets regularly, but the integration in the school organisation is not functioning well.
• There is no media or library advisor in the province.
• Some planning work has taken place linked to the grant.
• Attempts to establish a network with the public library. Contacts with Teachers Centre. Adult education classes have started,
• A reasonably large stock, in need of weeding though.
• The teachers are consulted when purchasing media.
• A big fairly well equipped library with shelves and library furniture.
• Not part of the school budget, but a budget has been established when working with the grant.
• The workshop worked well with 13 teachers taking part.

"Mr Swartbooi (regional librarian) argues that in order for public libraries to survive and flourish in the future it will be necessary for young learners today to become accustomed to school libraries. Moreover, the majority of school pupils do not have easy access to libraries of any sort in the province – with the vast distances involved in this huge province – let alone school libraries. He has worked with supporters to develop a provincial school library development plan and is working with schools directly as much as he can to assist with library development. His visit to Sweden in 1998 has contributed significantly to his enthusiasm and commitment in this regard." (Ibid. p. 3)

" The library is large and reasonably well equipped with book shelving library furniture and an office area. The school library was revived by the previous School Librarian and Deputy Principal, Mrs Joyce Basson, as a result of her trip to Sweden in 1998." (Ibid. p. 4)

" A full discussion was held with Mrs Masenge (school librarian) concerning the school library policy and development plan. The additional information required relates to the need for: a vision statement, the principles and values underlying the functioning and use of the library (for example, free access by all members of the community), the model of school library development to be followed, the structure and functions of the school library committee, the role of the school governing body, financing and fund-raising, integration of the library in the classroom, the promotion of usage of the library, as well as staffing and staff development. The development plan should be redrafted to cover a three-year period and should include a year-by-year plan of the aims and objectives to be achieved." (S.R.: Northern Cape, 18-20/04/01, p. 6)

• The Grant: books, maps, games, tape recorder
• More user friendly: tables in circles; small displays
• A Library policy has been developed
• The Library committee woke up
• Empowerment – new tasks – trust from the principal
• No provincial library structure exists despite efforts from other people
• No library advisor
• Perceptions changed about the role of the school librarian
• The library is more frequently visited by learners and teachers

 

NORTHERN PROVINCE/LIMPOPO PROVINCE

Makhuva Information Centre

"There is no telephone at the Centre. The Makhuva Information centre is named after Makhuva village, which is a typically rural, beautiful Shangaan village between Giyani and Phalaborwa, with traditionally built huts and houses, coupled with the obvious signs of development." (S.R.: Northern Province, 14-16/02/01, p. 2)

• A joint committee was established with representatives from three schools: the Information centre, Palaborwa Foundation, Palaborwa Public Library.
• No provincial school library policy. Certain support from the regional library, Giyanai.
• The whole of Makhuva Village can benefit from the information centre. Some surrounding schools are using the library. Is working as a combined community/school library. Is on its way to become a "one stop service centre", "multipurpose centre"
• A substantial economic support from the Palaborwa Foundation and the Japanese Embassy: R 500.000 to be used to rebuilding the centre.

"Makhuva Community Information Centre has made remarkable progress during the 18-month period of Phase Two of the project. The LPYL Project has been one of a network of support agencies assisting with the progress made." (S.R.: Northern Province, 1-2 & 5-6/11/01, p.11)

" Mr M Malaudzi , Director of the provincial Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, was apparently instrumental in stimulating thinking about the development that is now taking place, as a result of his participation in the study tour to Sweden in 1998."

Magulasavi High School
(a school, which is one of a network of schools being served by the Community Information Centre)

• Is represented in the "joint committee" by its school librarian.
• No visits from provincial advisors.
• Plan work running well. A common document is produced together with the centre. Its policy has not been presented to the school.
• Is part of the network of the centre. Fruitless attempts to co-operate with the public library.
• A media stock has been established thanks to the grant.
• The school library is also used as a classroom.
• The library is not part of the school library. Difficulties in getting the school fees from parents.

"In terms of the new OBE/C2005 educational system, educators need to understand how the library can be integrated with teaching and learning in the classroom. A way to get this process started would be for the teacher librarian to work with educators to plan learning programmes and activities and the use of library resources in the classroom. In this way, learners would become familiar with library resources as a part of the learning process and could then be introduced to reading and information activities for their own learning, enjoyment and pleasure." (S.R.: Northern Province, 14-16/02/01, p. 4)

• Development of the infrastructure from garage – Multipurpose Centre
• Establishment of School libraries approx. 10 existing school libraries
• Community Involvement in the project (SGB) & Tribal Office
• Attracted Sponsors: Japanese Foundation/Embassy
• Partnership: (Staff development, Resources etc); Phalaborwa Foundation
• Provincial School library co-ordination
• Current the project is extended beyond the project centre, i.e. others schools surrounding areas participate in the project
• Booklets/Training materials
• Empowerment and Capacity building e.g. writing of the business plan, library policy and financial management
• Inter-communication – (opened up) : Provincial levels and Regional level
• More participation (Education and learners)

WESTERN CAPE

Percy M´Dala High School

"The school is situated in the Khayalethu South township, which is a hilly area and well established with neighbourhood spaza (tuck) shops, churches and a bus route that passes the school. The unemployment is high, 50 %. IsiXhosa is the first language, with English second, followed by Afrikaans. Most parents are not functionally literate and this limits their potential involvement in the school activities." (S.R.: Western Cape, 24-26/05/00, p. 2)

• The headmaster is most supportive but the school library committee is not regarded as a strong partner by the school librarian.
• The support from the provincial level is good.
• A school library plan is on its way, but neither the school library committee nor the school has been involved in its production.
• The school librarian has trained "library partners", learners who assist in the library.
• A very vivid library regarding displaying, presentations of learners' works etc.
• The interest from other teachers is growing.
• Ideas of teachers and the librarian planning together.
• Specific library funds in the school budget.
• Successful workshop with 11 teachers.

"At the end of 1999 when examinations were over, the library manger held a seminar for the teachers at the school to demonstrate to them how library-based resource can be integrated in teaching and learning in and out of the classroom. As a result of this presentation, the Science, Mathematics and English teachers have begun to make frequent use of the collection. A Geography teacher has also liased with the library manager about the content of lessons and she has then made some library-based work sheets for these learners when they visit the library. Displays hung across the height of the room also stimulated interest in the school community." (S. R.: Western Cape, 24-26/05/00, p. 3)

• Centralised library established/community /policy/budget/plans/stock increase/budget/photocopier
• Increased use by learners & teachers
• Library classes gr 8 & 9
• Outreach, networking, LIASA awareness
• Professional capacitation – librarian
• Other models e.g. Mobile library, joint use library

To LPYL-start