EENHNA – As part of its support to improve the pass rate in the Ohangwena region, the Millennium Challenge Account- Namibia (MCA-N) has donated a mobile library unit to the Ohangwena region’s Education Directorate.
The unit, which was launched last week here started operating as a mobile library in the region last month and will see users accessing books and information just like in a conventional library with internet, air-conditioner, toilet, books, computers and other related facilities. Speaking to Youth Corner last week, the Chief Librarian of the newly inaugurated library in the Ohangwena region, David Matsveru, says that now that they have a mobile library for the region, they are calling upon all learners in the region, teachers and even those studying through the University of Namibia (Uanm), the Polytechnic of Namibia (PoN) and the Namibian College of Opening Learning (Namcol) to make use of this wonderful facility.
“We shall be visiting all schools in the region, mostly those in deep rural areas to introduce them to the new facility. The aim of this mobile library is to extend the services of libraries to communities that cannot reach fixed libraries to access services. The service offered is a replica of the services being offered in a constructed library,” explains Matsveru. The Chief Librarian is also encouraging learners in the Ohangwena region to make use of the mobile library, which in addition to a variety of books also have audio books, multi-media screens and fax facilities among other services. The unit will operate from Helao Nafidi as its headquarters.
“Abraham Maslow (1963) said ‘What you don’t know has power over you, knowing it brings it under your control, and makes it subject to your choice. Ignorance makes real choice impossible’,” quotes Matsveru. “We are aware that most of our patrons live very far from the library and that their means to access information is very limited, hence the acquisition of state-of-the-art mobile library unit. The mobile library unit will enable us to take the services to the people. Our passion is to see an informed Namibian nation, and this can only happen when people are given relevant, reliable and useful information for their day-to-day life in the comfort of their homes. We do not want to see kids in the streets when we have such a wonderful facility,” he adds
An English teacher at Dr Abraham Iyambo Senior Secondary School, Jonathan Tahufeni welcomes the MCA-N and Ministry of Education’s moves and hopes that this initiative will improve the teaching of the English Language in the region. “This is good for the region as our learners will benefit more in terms of the English Language usage in our schools here. This marvelous service will reach out to nmany communities and we would like our learners and community members to go in large numbers to use these services,” he adds
Starting from November 21, the main library at Helao Nafidi will open from eight O’clock in the morning (08H00) to eight O’clock in the evening (20H00) weekdays. It is open on Saturdays from nine O’clock in the morning ( 09 H00) to five O’clock in the afternoon (17H 00).
By Clemence Tashaya