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Government School Libraries not Appointed Librarians

English Compulsory in Uttar Pradesh Government Schools

Government School Libraries not Appointed Librarians

Chennai: The students of Corporation and Government schools are finding it difficult to access additional reading material as the State Government has not taken steps to appoint librarians in all schools.

Schools, which have the luxury of maintaining a library, are short-staffed and consequently, do not have anyone to supervise the issue and renewal of books.

There is no provision to appoint a librarian. The principal and the rest of the teachers have their hands full with the administrative and academic activities. Hence, the Government should take up the issue of creating the post of a librarian in a school," said the Headmaster of a Corporation Boys Higher Secondary School in the city. He said it was not possible for the subject teachers or the physical training instructors to take up the responsibility of maintaining a library. "But, considering the needs of the students, the teachers issue a few books in the schools and also try to borrow them from local libraries he added.

Inadequate allocation of funds and inefficient planning have resulted in the degeneration of school libraries. No separate funds are allotted to maintain them and for the purchase of new books, said Kham-erunisa Khamer, teacher, Corporation Urdu Girls Higher Secondary School, Perambur Barracks.

"Apart from the 50 or 60 books circulated among the students, we do not have a library in our school," she said. As students in corporation schools are hailing from the economically backward sections of the society, the absence of libraries could increase their burden.

"The reference books are highly expensive and we cannot afford to buy them. Forget, about the latest books on science and technology, the library in our school does not even contain good dictionaries," said S Kanaka and D Hemamalini, students from the Corporation Girls Higher Secondary School, Saidapet.

In most schools, the concept of a library is limited to the few story books that are issued to students.

"Though the system of circulating a few books will help develop reading habits for primary and middle school students, it is not sufficient at the high school and higher secondary level," said Rajaraman Krishnan, coordinator, Asha for Education, an NGO involved in promoting education.

While students in private schools have access to various books and advanced technology, those in Government and Corporation school are denied the basic requirements.

Education officials with the Chennai Corporation maintained that the civic body had already taken up the issue of maintaining good libraries. "This issue of procuring more books can be tackled only on allotment of more funds for the Corporation schools," said a senior officer, on condition of anonymity.

Government School Libraries not Appointed Librarians

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