This study, based on the critical theory approach, examines the provisioning of reading and
information resources to learners through the availability of school library services since the
advent of South Africaâs democratic dispensation in 1994. Of particular concern is
governmentâs planning on national and provincial level for the provisioning of school library
services and the documents that were compiled in this regard. The provisioning of school
library services, planning for it and reflecting on it, however, cannot take place without
recognising international trends and developments. Therefore the study started by examining
the worldwide information and communication revolution and its effect on the community
and the economy, as well as its effect on access to reading and information resources and
education. The underlying question is what relevance school libraries still have in a world
driven by information and communication technology. It seems that people in the education
and the library and information sphere are still convinced that a well functioning library
could contribute to education that prepares learners for life. School libraries are especially
important for the support of resource-based learning. Research reports also indicate
improved academic results where teaching and learning are supported by good school library
practice.
As part of the background study an examination was done of the provisioning of school
library services in two developed countries, namely the United States of America and
Australia, and two developing countries, namely Botswana and Namibia. The latter two are
especially important because South Africa is also largely a developing country. Both use
different kinds of classroom collections to give learners access to reading and information
resources. The USA and especially Australia, in spite of their status as developed countries,
also use combined school and public libraries (often referred to as school community
libraries) where it offers a practical solution. It is especially in rural, sparsely populated
areas, where it can be found.
The focus then moves to the South African school library situation that is examined within a
changing and developing dispensation. The central framework within which education
provisioning takes place, is also examined. In this regard the Constitution, policy and
legislation, inter alia, were discussed. It is clear that, from South Africaâs developing
context, the provisioning of access to school library services could make a contribution as many learners, because of their socio-economic circumstances, do not have easy access to
reading and information resources. Furthermore it is, because of the methodology of South
Africaâs outcomes-based curriculum, highly desirable that teachers and learners should have
access to various information resources. However statistics indicate very little progress in the
availability of school libraries since 1994.
Constitutionally and in terms of legislation the state is obliged to provide education of an
acceptable quality to all the school learners of the country. Notwithstanding school library
services did not figure strongly in the governmentâs broad education framework, its
education policy, legislation, funding and curriculum in the decade after 1994. However
lately, especially since 2006, the references of the minister of education to the necessity of
school libraries are increasing. It is especially in terms of reading support and the
improvement of reading skills that school libraries are mentioned.
In the light of the huge need of school libraries this study further examined the planning for
school library provisioning that was done after the 1994 election by the provincial
governments and the national government. It examined the available documentation with
regard to aspects such as school library accommodation, staff, library collections,
provisioning and governing structures, policy, funding, legislation, co-operation and optimal
utilisation of resources.
Eventually a number of recommendations were made that could improve the school library
situation and learnersâ access to reading and information resources. The most important of
these is, in accordance with the constitutional principle of cooperative governance, the
acceptance of an integrated approach to the provisioning of school library services that
includes support from public libraries and the provincial library services.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ufs/oai:etd.uovs.ac.za:etd-03302010-114747 |
| Date | 30 March 2010 |
| Creators | de Vries, Leon Chapman |
| Contributors | Prof JA Kruger, Prof R van der Merwe |
| Publisher | University of the Free State |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en-uk |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.uovs.ac.za//theses/available/etd-03302010-114747/restricted/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University Free State or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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