BMC TO START 75 LIBRARIES FOR CHILDREN FROM CIVIC SCHOOLS
In yet another populist move before the civic elections, the civic body will be starting 75 mini-libraries for municipal schoolchildren from next week.
The project aims at providing schoolchildren from weaker sections of society and the entire programme is funded by an NGO called Room To Read. The libraries will be housed in the school buildings and will have books related to academics, literature and general sciences.
“These books will be in languages that the school in which the library is housed teaches in. The books and furniture of the library have been given to us by Room To Read,“ said additional municipal commissioner, Mohan Adtani.
The libraries will be open for at least two hours after school hours and the children can borrow books from the libraries.
“These libraries will also help improve grades of students and will inculcate in them the habit of reading,“ said standing committee chairman Rahul Shewale.
The books in these libraries will be for students from Class 3 to Class 10.
According to a study conducted in 2008 by a group of researchers on how to improve standard of education in municipal schools, they had recommended more school libraries.
Professor Bruce Fuller from Harvard university had headed the study on standards in primary and secondary education.
His team’s study found that libraries in schools for teachers and students are most important in helping to raise standards.