The Guyana Book Foundation
The History of Guyana Book Foundation
(An article in Guyana Review Dec 2006, entitled Guyana Book Foundation - Read a lot: learn a lot)
In 1986, a group of educators led by Mrs. Olga Bone, Ms Mavis Pollard, Sister Hazel Campaign, Ms Agnes Jones together with volunteer tutors began holding free remedial classes in English and Mathematics for students in and around Georgetown With subsequent grants from CAFOD and the Scarborough Fathers, this voluntary work in remedial classes for children was expanded to Linden, New Amsterdam, Leonora, Enmore and Buxton. Education Renewal was thus firmly established.
Remedial classes were held up to the early 90’s when Education Renewal was additionally tasked with the responsibility of the distribution of shipments of books from the Canadian NGO, CODE.
Education Renewal can be regarded as the forerunner of The Guyana Book Foundation, established in 1990 as a not for profit NGO and incorporated under the Companies Act. GBF’s main activity during the first years of its existence was book distribution to schools, a responsibility taken over from Education Renewal.
Since those early years, the Foundation has expanded its programme with a mission to improve children’s literacy throughout Guyana, working in collaboration with its partners to provide low cost books, reading material and other educational resources and services.
Out of this mission, GBF has set itself the goals of increasing the capacity of children to read and learn; developing skills in the teaching of reading and librarianship including through the use of computers; creating strong resource and education networks and building partnerships to strengthen the environment for children’s literacy.
Consecutive partnership agreements with the Canadian Organisation for Development through Education (CODE) over 12 years, together with contracts with the Ministry of Education and international organisations have enabled GBF to implement literacy projects throughout the country, with special emphasis on poor and disadvantaged areas.
Until recently, policy makers and donors have given text books a central part in policies to increase literacy and student achievement levels. CODE has always recognized that text books are the beginning of the solution, not the complete answer and that pleasure in reading, which in turn helps to foster a life long reading habit, is often experienced in a library in which readers have the first opportunity to pick a book of their own choice. Libraries moreover, have an important role in the acquisition, maintenance and development of literacy skills. This thinking was behind the first agreement between CODE and the Foundation to establish community libraries in Guyana. Since the early nineties, GBF has established over 30 community libraries in nine regions, with the present responsibility for 21of these libraries.
In order to attract readers, libraries, whether community or school libraries, must offer access to reading materials that are relevant, stimulating, enjoyable or useful. GBF’s selection of high quality books offered to schools, educational institutions, libraries and reading groups are North American donated books which are academic, reference and story books that support education needs and literacy acquisition, supplemented by locally published and purchased books which are culturally relevant, gender and language appropriate.
During the past 12 years, GBF has distributed over one and a half million of these books to an average of 500 schools and institutions which access books every year. Book donations are also made to schools in interior regions during Education Month, every year. Schools throughout the country are given an opportunity to build their library stock through a Matching Funds project implemented over 6 weeks during the school year.
The focus on locally produced books and materials supports Guyanese writers, illustrators, publishers, printers and booksellers. Local books, together with Caribbean Readers for children, provide children with access to diversified, exciting and relevant learning materials.
GBF has also published and distributed over 24 titles, which include children’s story books written by well known Guyanese Jan Carew and Walter Rodney; nursery books by Florence Sukhdeo; copy –writing and Grammar Books with teacher’s guide by Olga Bone and the Steps to Reading series written by Pamela O’Toole. Some publications have been made by GBF in partnership with other NGOs: for example, The Makushi Language Primer published by GBF and the Makushi Research Unit for the promotion and revitalization of the Makushi Language; The Lolita and Maria Series of health books written especially for the Amerindian communities by a volunteer Peace Corps Liz Shuster in association with Iwokrama and Peace Corps Guyana, and supported recently by the Ministry of Education/ Fast Track Initiative, thereby emphasizing the need for supplementary readers, besides textbooks, in the class room.
The provision of books does not automatically translate into the acquisition and development of literacy skills if children cannot read. GBF recognizes that despite the number of initiatives undertaken by the Ministry of Education to improve the levels of literacy and numeracy and the quality of education, the shortage of trained teachers persists and that 60% of primary school-aged children are functioning about three years below grade level, while 25% are seriously failing. A significant component of GBF’s programme is therefore supporting partner NGOs like Varqa Foundation in training teachers, voluntary workers and parents in the teaching of reading; Red Thread Women’s Organisation in teaching children from disadvantaged areas, including school drop-outs, to read and use the computer to learn to read; training library assistants in the management of community libraries, and nursery teachers in the reading readiness.
Reading is not a widespread activity in homes and communities. Community support is required to change reading habits. GBF works with its partners in a number of promotional activities targeting children and parents in motivating them to read. GBF’s national book-fair is an annual feature and regional book exhibitions extend its reach as has the establishment of its first branch in the Essequibo region during this year.
But much more needs to be done to enhance the basic quality of education and ensure that Guyanese children acquire, maintain and develop literacy skills for life.
