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Lovemore Meya : Arts Correspondent

The Zimbabwe Rural Schools Library Trust feels there is still a lot to be done to improve the quality of education in the country especially the rural areas where children do not have enough reading material and as such calling for support from individuals and the corporate world. Presenting a document on the ZRSLT at the ongoing Zimbabwe International Book Fair in the capital yesterday, South Africa-based trustee Wadzanai Chihombori-Ndlovu said although effort has gone into the construction of schools in Zimbabwe, a lot more still needs to be done.“A lot more is still needs to be done to improve the quality of education in Zimbabwe,” said Chihombori-Ndlovu.

“The Government of Zimbabwe has acknowledged a backlog of over 2 000 schools that have to be built to ensure that every child has a decent classroom, and that it does not have the resources to do so and is relying heavily on donors for the construction of these schools.

“It will therefore be a long while before the Government can raise the resources to build school libraries and is therefore incumbent upon those who believe in the role of libraries to come to the rescue by assisting the Government in its quest to achieve quality education.”

She said a few schools have libraries and many pupils do not have access to reading material.

“There are no libraries in most Zimbabwean schools and that grossly affects those who learn in rural schools.”

Chihombori-Ndlovu spoke glowingly on how their initiative has greatly improved the situation of many rural schools with individuals making positive strides.

“We should all be responsive to such initiatives and remember where we came from by doing the best in equipping the schools we went to by supplying them with adequate resources.

“As a trust we have done a number of projects to ensure that we provide for the rural folk with some members in New Zealand doing a sterling job in fundraising for the resources,” she said.