While many students may have enjoyed 'reading day' in their schools to celebrate the birth of Dr Kalam, yesterday, not all of them were privileged enough thanks to a lack of libraries in schools
When schools are asked to celebrate Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam's birth anniversary by observing it as Vaachan Prerna Diwas or Reading Day, it would be nice (not to mention logical) if these schools had a library. A 2015-2016 District Information System for Education (DISE) report of Elementary Education Trends shows that only 82.7% schools in India and 96% schools in Maharashtra have a library. DISE records, which also contain details like the number of classrooms, toilets, laboratories and libraries in schools, highlight that while many schools do not have libraries constructed by the school, those schools that do have libraries, do not have librarians to guide its students.
When it comes to Mumbai, 1,213 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation schools don't have a proper library or a librarian, but have shelves with 200 books for students to read. Education activists, however, claim that the books are under lock and key and are unavailable to students. Mahesh Palkar, Education Officer, BMC, says, "While other schools have 20,000 books and a librarian for their students, we have a shelf in every school with 200 books and teachers remove the books for students during the reading period. Out of 1,213 schools, only six do not have a library; but funds have been arranged and now, even those schools have been provided with books and shleves."
Contrary to Palkar, Ramesh Joshi, General Secretary, Shikshak Sabha states that BMC schools have books, but "the shelf on which these books are kept is supervised by the head master of the school. Due to the fear that students might tear or lose books if they are given access to them in class or to take home, school principals keep the books locked away. If a page is missing from a book, it's the principals who are answerable to the education officer. So while the education department is encouraging students to observe Vaachan Prerna Diwas, our students from BMC schools are not that privileged to pick books to read during a free period."
For night-school students, it's a different story. Rahul Suvarna, Advocacy Manager, Masoom states "Unfortunately night-school students, whom Masoom works for, don't get the benefit of reading in a library like day-school students, as no library is available. However, Masoom provides each night school with 15,000 books, which are kept in one cupboard for students to read. A resource library centre, which has facilities for documentaries and e-books, has been started by a library in Dadar for these students and their teachers."
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Libraries in schools")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}