The school, which is located at the foot of a hill in West Sumba regency, already has a designated building for a library. However, the building has not been used for a long time because its condition has been deemed dangerous for the students. The walls are dilapidated; the ceiling has holes in it. In some parts of the building, the plywood is falling off. Due to these conditions, the school has turned what was meant to be a library into a storage area for school equipment. The school has reported this condition and requested funding for repairs to the local education office; however, to date, the funding for this has not been budgeted.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, INOVASI’s assistance via the early grade literacy program in this school produced reading corners in classrooms, focusing on the early grades. However, since these reading corners constitute only a small table, they cannot display many books. As such, the regional facilitator (fasilitator daerah, or Fasda) for the school took the initiative to create a mini library.
The mini library is made of several pieces of bamboo that are arranged to form a shelf and hung on the wall. This mini library was built by the teachers. Bamboo was chosen as the basic building material is because it is plentiful in the area.
The books on display in this library are story books that support literacy. Sometimes some textbooks are also displayed. The class teachers replace the books on display every month so that the students don’t get bored. The number of books on display is adjusted to the number of students in the class.
According to Sori Kadiwano, Principal of SDN Wee Lalaka, the presence of this mini library attracts the students’ interest in reading.
“I can see for myself how the students take out the books in the reading corner and mini libraries and read them for 15 minutes before the lessons begin. They do this without being instructed by the teacher,” said Sori.
Furthermore, Sori recounted how this has become a habit for the students. When, for example, a teacher is unable to attend class, the students will automatically read books in the classroom, including those in the mini library.
Not limited to the early grades, the higher grades have now replicated what the teachers have done in the early grades and have also put mini libraries in their classrooms.
Sori hopes that in the future, the District Education Office in West Sumba and institutions that advocate literacy will continue to support the procurement of books for the mini libraries.
“In order to maintain the children’s enthusiasm for reading, the books need to be updated. We hope that the offices and institutions that are engaged in improving literacy can support us in procuring books,” said the principal, who has served at the school for two years.