A Legislated School Library Policy: Can Functional School Libraries Be Envisioned Without One?

Abstract

Although school libraries are important resource centres that support curriculum delivery and important pedagogical matters, it is disturbing that, in South Africa, only a minority (7.2%) of schools have well-stocked functional school libraries. A legislated school library policy is crucial for a country to roll out effective school library and information services (LIS). This is particularly true in South African schools, which are characterised by enormous disparities in the provision of resources because of the legacy of apartheid. Grounded in the literature review, the fact that the national Department of Basic Education (DBE) does not have a legislated and approved school library policy is a stumbling block to developing and sustaining an active and dynamic school library service for all public schools in South Africa. The purpose of this article is to help relevant stakeholders understand the importance of a legislated school library policy in championing the establishment and development of an active, vibrant and dynamic functional school library service to support the progressive, constructivist and resource based curriculum in the country. The study recommends that the National Guidelines for School Library and Information Services (SA DBE 2012) be amended to a legislated school library policy to resuscitate indeterminate and non-functional libraries in the majority of schools.Â

Promoting Self-Directed Learning for English FAL Learners in a Rural Context: An Asset-Based Approach

“…35 There is still no national policy about school libraries in this country. 36 Moreover, the DBE has missed several deadlines for ensuring that all public schools (including rural schools) meet the Minimum Uniform Norms and Standards for Public School Infrastructure. To complicate the situation, the DBE has recently published draft amendments to these norms and standards.…”

Status of Non-Government Secondary School Libraries in Bangladesh

“…This will also help to assess the extent to which government officials are aware of the contribution of school libraries towards quality education. A legislated school library policy is crucial for a country to roll out effective school library and information services (Mojapelo, 2015). Hossain (2019a) proposed a comprehensive national plan for school library development in Bangladesh and urged that school libraries be made a statutory requirement.…”

“…Paton-Ash and Wilmot (2015) stress the significance of a legislated school library policy in spearheading the establishment and sustainability of standardised and well-stocked functional libraries in schools countrywide. Without a legislated school library policy to roll out an active, dynamic and sustainable school library service for all schools, continuity in inequality and huge disparities in resource provisioning in schools will not come to an abrupt end ( Mojapelo , 2015). This study, based on the literature review, observation and researcher's experience with libraries in Bangladesh, sought to investigate the status and challenges of secondary school libraries in Bangladesh and how such challenges can be overcome to improve the quality of secondary education in Bangladesh.…”