By Tony Wafula
Kibabii University has donated 13,000 text books to 13 Secondary and Primary schools in Bungoma County to help in enhancing the reading culture among learners and aid in shaping knowledge and skills.
While addressing journalists at the university premises during the flagging off of the donation, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Ipara Odeo said that the outcome is due to the partnership between Rongo University, African Library Project and Kibabii University.
“This good idea of book donation is an initiative of Kibabii University, Rongo University and African Library Project that came together with a common agenda of empowering our schools with knowledge,” he said.
Odeo said that apart from donating books to schools they take Librarians through basic training to help them to know how to set up and run a library to attract high readership from the school and the community.
In his appeal, Odeo urged teachers to use books in training learners assuring that they will continue donating books to schools.
“Librarians should take care of these books and teachers to encourage learners to embrace reading culture to sharpen their skills,” he said, adding that the culture of reading is being eroded by the development of digital communication skills.
Mildred Opwora, Principal St. Peters Mwiruti Girl’s Secondary School lauded the move by the University for the initiative adding that it will help learners develop reading skills.
“I congratulate our Vice Chancellor Prof. Odeo and all partners for initiating such a wonderful project in our schools, I want to assure him that schools will take care of the books,” she said.
Some of the schools that benefited from the book donation include; Friends school Pongola, S.A Kabuchai secondary school, St. Peters Girls secondary school Mwiruti, St. Mary’s Kibabii Talent Academy, Busakala Friends secondary school, Namilama secondary school, Maliki boys high school among others.
