Report on My Book Buddy

ST. CHARLES LWANGA’S PRIMARY SCHOOL – ZEBILLA

Dear Cathy Spierenburg,

REPORT ON MY BOOK BUDDY

Since the introduction of my book buddy in St. Charles Lwanga’s Primary School there has been a tremendous improvement of quality teaching and learning in the School. It has also increased the enrolment in the school. Some parents came with their wards but could not get admission because all the classrooms were full. We are very grateful to you for introducing such a thing in St. Charles – Zebilla.

Before My Book Buddy came, pupils were having some difficulty in understanding story telling lessons. This is because parents who are to tell their children stories at home are no longer doing it due to the busy nature of their work. ( i.e. ‘African story telling time during full moon’). Interview conducted by the class teacher, Primary four (4), revealed that pupils can now tell or identify characters in the stories they read, and the role each character plays.

They can now tell a reasonable number of stories during story telling lesson. This has also helped the pupils to contribute meaningfully during listening and speaking lessons. My Book Buddy has helped to improve pupils reading skills.

A Parents Teachers Association (PTA) was organized on to educate parents on My Book Buddy. They were very grateful to the Rotary Club International. Some parents who wards are in other schools have asked whether such a thing cannot be extended to those schools. They are indeed very grateful to you people for your support.

Despite the numerous benefits many pupils are getting from My Book Buddy, some are still left behind. Some of the pupils who are from rural areas complain that they do not have lights at home in the night to read after school. Some also come back with their books torn, claiming that they do not have tables at home to read on. For that matter they sit on stones or logs to read. Some also complained that some of the stories are too long and they sometime read and forget the message. Some parents also complain that any time their children come home, they do not do anything apart from reading. In spite of all these challenges, pupils have now cultivated the habit of reading any materials within their reach.

Since I was not the headmaster, I could not have written to tell you all these about my Book Buddy.

I promised to always communicate from now on wards. Thanks

Hypolite Dery