The Ministry of Education has observed an improvement in literacy achievement and student development within schools since last year.

Assistant Minister Iliesa Vanawalu attributes this to the government’s continued dedication to introducing literacy programs in school libraries and curriculum that enhance students’ learning and reading abilities.

Vanawalu highlighted this during the launch of National Library Week, where 10 schools from Labasa were part of the celebration with the theme “Ready, Set, Library,” which will run until the 14th of this month.

“From our assessment last year, we can see that there was an improvement, so we are back to base now. It was actually a lapse of so many years, the neglect on our part or maybe the other administration, but for us from this year and this year we can see an improvement on the ground, especially for the learning, the literacy, and the numeracy of the student. That’s how we’re embarking more again in our terms to make sure that it’s student access to the library whether it’s a mobile, at school, or at the community level.”

Director Library Services Fiji, Dr. Tanveer Naqvi, addressed the current challenges, particularly the need for updated resources to meet Sustainable Development Goal 4, which focuses on quality education.

He says that libraries are now hosting events like public lectures and mentorship programs, which will need government investments in their developments.

Meanwhile, under the Library Services of Fiji, there are currently five public libraries located in Suva, Lautoka, Rakiraki, Tavua, and Savusavu, apart from the 28 community libraries and hundreds of school libraries.