BOMAI WITNE
YOU will commonly observe in Papua New Guinea’s urban areas that many people carry a newspaper in their hands.
Then, on Sundays, you will see Christians carrying a bible in their hands or bilum.
But otherwise, you will hardly see a Papua New Guinean carrying a book. At bus and air terminals or while waiting to do business, we chew betel nut or tell stories with wantoks. Mobile phones also keep us busy.
We inherited an oral tradition and do not give much attention to the literary culture of writing and reading.
In most schools the libraries are ill stocked and students spend most of their time telling stories and think that the books belong on the shelf.
As a result, students’ speaking and writing in the English language is dismal. It is a situation that creates confusion among students at all levels of our school system.
Among the efforts to assist improve reading and writing is the establishment of Pikinini Skul Libraries throughout PNG.
My observation is that they introduce Papua New Guinean children to reading books and writing stories at an early age.
PSL is equipped with children’s books that are donated by kind hearted people and organisations. To help children read, the staff teach them phonics, which appears to be effective.
The Eastern Highlands Province has been blessed with two Pikinini Skul Library establishments: one located within the Bird of Paradise Hotel and another at the University of Goroka.
The Pikinini Buk Library at the University of Goroka called a lunch hour meeting for parents and staff last week. The neatly decorated library was packed with parents of children attending the daily library sessions.
The Pikinini Buk Library serves the children from communities around the campus, children of University of Goroka staff, and children of higher degree students.
At the meeting, the person in charge of the library told parents that the end of school year was approaching and advanced children would leave. Parents were asked to start looking for schools in town to enroll their children in Grade 3 for next year.
The staff in charge told parents that the library staff would run remedial classes for their advanced children after normal library hours to equip them with additional reading and writing skills.
Parents were asked to arrange to bring their children to the library every afternoon during week days.
Parents were challenged to assist their children to read. It was suggested one way they could do this is to set up a small library at home and encourage children to read and write at an early age.
In this way Pikinini Buk is helping to strengthen the reading and writing culture in PNG
It’s a noble initiative.