Story by Abubakar Zulaiha
The basic aim of a children’s library is to inculcate the habit of reading in them so that they grow with it.
From Dungu in the Tamale South constituency and the communities through to Datoyili are about 9 to 12 kilometers away from the regional library. Whereas a library was supposed to be located in every 8 kilometers. This makes it difficult for students on that stretch to visit the regional library, making their colleagues in the urban part or those close somewhat, better than them academically.
These are rural areas of which majority of the people would not mind their children staying in the house instead of schooling.
A parent or guardian can ask a ward to stop schooling because he/she is being asked to buy a book. The problem of these pupils being in school without learning materials is so rampant and teachers are afraid of asking their parents to buy for them because that is a reason enough for them to stop schooling. What about books that are not curricular based or demanded for use by the curriculum?
A public library in one of these communities will not only serve them but the rest of the communities as well. This will encourage the students as they would feel important and cared for, in the society.