From Paul Ayutoliya:
Last Friday on the 18th of May 2018, I visited the Asoegoom Primary School to honor an invitation that was extended to me by the head teacher (Mr. Gbenga Solomon George) of the School to me to paid them a visit and have a look at the progress of work been done at their school library. Part of the visit was to interact with parents and teachers about library related issues.
Asoegoom Primary is one of the 20 schools that benefitted from the books and shelves that was given to the schools late last year by Biblionef Ghana.The school had a large room for library but was in a very deplorable state; no windows in fact almost all the windows frames were broken and hanging posing some kind of danger to the pupils, old zinc and all kinds of wood were packed in there, the ceiling, roofing and floor was not in a good state to serve the purpose of a library when I visited the school early this year. The head teacher assured me they will in their own way do something about it because reading is something very important in the lives of pupils and everyone, he said they have written several times to the Bolgatanga Municipal Education Office to support them to put the place in a conducive order but have yet to hear any response hence their resolve to do something on their own. Prof. when I visited the school library last Friday, I was very pleased to see the significant work been done so far, the library room was now looking somewhat new and conducive for learning; the windows and windows frames was worked on with some paintings given the library that new look. All this work was spearheaded by the head of the school with his good leadership and ability to woo his colleagues in supporting the refurbishment of the library from their own contributions, in other words it was the head teacher and his others colleague teachers personal contributions that was used for the refurbishing works, the parents of the children were not even involved at this state, most of the parents were surprised to see for themselves the beautiful work at the library that day when they entered the library to room to look at it. In fact Prof. Gbenga is working tirelessly day in and out to get more books and add to what they receive from Biblionef Ghana, his hope is that, when the library start full operations it will serve both the school (pupils) and community as a whole daily and night periods. Their appeal was for more support in any other way that will contribute to the effective running of the library. What they need urgently are; a table and chair for the library teacher in the library, the ceiling work is yet to be completed, the estimated cost of works left to be worked will cost 500 Ghana cedis, plus funds for more books.
At the meeting with the parents and teachers, I extended greetings from Cesrud/Favl Ghana to the gathering and particularly to the teachers for the support and cooperation with their head teacher in the refurbishment of their school library, and encourage them to continue so together we all contribute in bringing knowledge to the doorsteps of all. To the parents I appeal to them to support the teachers in educating their children, encourage and also support your children to like reading. The Parents Teachers Association (PTA)/ School Management Committee (SMC) were thankful to Cesrud/Favl for championing the course of reading for all in the African countries and beyond, they assured me of their readiness to support the teachers in the education of their children.
Mr. Gbenga Solomon George head teacher of the Asoegoom Primary school is doing his best to advance the course of reading in that school and community as a whole, he needs our encouragement and support. Of all the schools that received the books from Biblionef Ghana which I have toured around, Mr. Gbenga seems to be putting more efforts in making reading effective, he is the only one who have taken another step ahead in making the place where the pupils will sit and learn to look good for learning from their own pockets contributions, he has written to places for more support and have gotten some more boxes of books to add to what they have, he is again working to have the library function just as a community library serving all the people of Asoegoom because of the far distance from that place to the Sumbrungu Community Library. He came with his library teacher to the Sumbrungu Community Library on Monday, 21st May 2018 to officially invite me to the officially opening of their library on 1st June 2018.
