Make a plan to open metro libraries on a Saturday

LIBRARIES need to be open on Saturdays again.

In a country like South Africa which has an alarming illiteracy rate, it is wonderful to see the initiative being undertaken by Volkswagen last week in addressing this problem. Without literacy one cannot read manuals, textbooks and the rest.

In an effort to raise the bar in teaching, we see the development of free Wi-Fi in schools to assist pupils have access to better lessons, but if they cannot read these, then what is the point?

In many homes, the parents themselves are sometimes illiterate so cannot help their children.

These children are denied the joy of developing their imaginations through the reading of novels and other books, so anything that can assist in increasing literacy levels among our children has to be supported.

And yet, our municipal libraries remain closed on Saturdays, seemingly because there is no money for overtime.

While overtime is at present a sticky point here in the NMB Municipality, we still seem to be able to afford to keep highly paid suspended officials on paid leave. Our priorities are all screwed up.

I can remember when every Saturday morning our libraries were filled with children in the junior section. What are they doing now?

At the same time there are many people who would utilise the library, but who work Monday to Friday.

I am sure that there are enough retired and possibly qualified folk in the city who would gladly assist in libraries on a voluntary basis on Saturday mornings on some form of roster system.

There would have to be some of the library staff present, but certainly not all, so the overtime cost can be halved by using the volunteers.

There may even be some high school pupils who would see giving up the odd Saturday morning as a social responsibility project.

I don’t for one minute wish the municipal staff to work overtime unpaid, but there have to be ways of getting the libraries open on Saturdays again.

If you don’t think that not being able to read is a problem, then just listen to our giggling president who reads his speeches like a person on day three of an adult literacy course.

He is just about able to cope with words of four syllables or more.

The government is always asking the private sector to get involved in solving the country’s problems, so here is a great opportunity.

Malcolm Dodds, Kunene Park, Port Elizabeth