Queensburgh Primary adds new books to library to make reading fun

QUEENSBURGH Primary school will welcome learners into a well stocked library as soon as the Covid-19 lockdown ends following donations of new books to stimulate an interest in reading  in its learners.

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Departmental Head at Queensburgh Primary, Kasthurie Gounden said she had organised a book drive at her former school, Moorton Heights Primary and hoped to duplicate the effects she saw in her new school.

Reading

“When I arrived here in June I noticed that there was a need to rekindle an interest in reading,” said Gounden.

“From previous experience I knew that the best way to get children to read is to give them books that would appeal to them.”

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The school itself had formerly been housed as an Afrikaans medium junior primary school so its library was small and had little interest for English speaking learners.

Thousands

“I went on a book drive. I managed to get family and friends to sponsor new titles of books and box sets to the value of R10000. Our principal, Dr Nessa Reddy supported this drive by bringing in an additional R4000 worth of books,” said Gounden who is a firm believer in the benefit of books in schooling.

“I found that it made a huge impact on learners. They became more interested in reading and by the end of the year their ability to do interesting pieces of formal writing greatly improved,” she said.

Revamp

The library also needed a revamp which Reddy with the help of Kelly Jones, who runs the school media centre, managed to bring about.

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“I just mentioned something to Miss Jones about the things in the room next to the library which I thought might be better used as an extension of the library, and she got the job done,” laughed Reddy. 

A wall between what had originally been designed as two junior primary classrooms was broken down and beams installed to support the new open plan structure.

“I have a dream of making the extra space into a proper media centre with computers, so I set up power points and shelving around the room which will eventually house work stations.”

Books

Excited to get their hands on the news books were two learners. Khloé Naidu (11) a Grade 5 learner, and Owami Ndlovu (10) who is in Grade 4.

“Khloé is the school’s most avid reader,” laughed Jones who is also looking forward to the school functioning at its full capacity and learners can begin to use the library again.

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At the time of going to press, the contents of this feature mirrored South Africa’s lockdown regulations.  

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