Die beskikbaarheid, voorsiening en benutting van skoolbiblioteekfasiliteite binne 'n uitkomsgebaseerde onderwysbedeling in die Noord-Kaap Provinsie

Abstract

English: This study examines certain aspects with regard to school libraries in the Northern Cape Province. It deals firstly with the availability and provisioning of school libraries and, at the same time, the structures for the development and provisioning of school libraries. The second aspect concerns the implications of outcomes-based education for the utilisation of school libraries. The study is relevant because of big inequalities in the availability of school libraries and because of the potential role of school libraries in outcomes-based education. The aim of the study is to consider possible solutions for the provisioning problem, because it has a direct bearing on the access that educators and learners have to information resources in the province. Because of limited resources (financial and other) it also explores methods to utilize the available library resources optimally. Secondly the aim of the study is to look into the curricular utilization of information resources and school libraries from an outcomes-based education perspective because the improvement of the information skills of learners is important for surviving in an Information Age. South Africa received a new democratic dispensation in 1994. Part of the process was the formation of nine new provinces. In order to understand the situation of the Northern Cape in 1994 the development of school libraries prior to 1994 was described. Only those Education departments which were responsible for the administration of schools in the province until 1994, has been dealt with. The proposals of non-governmental organisations on how to rectify the situation (1990 - 1995) were examined, as well as the plans and proposals of the Northern Cape in this regard (1994 - 1999). The changes to the curriculum environment in which school libraries have to function as a result of the implementation of outcomes-based education, are outlined. It was necessary because information skills is one of the critical outcomes of Curriculum 2005 and it impacts on the utilization of school libraries. The developments re school libraries in the Northern Cape since 1999 has also been described. Officials from the Provincial Library Service and the City Library of Kimberley inter alia were interviewed. An important aspect of the research is the new South African constitution and Education laws and policy, especially the national policy on school funding, because provinces have to implement it. The research shows that although some progress has been made with regard to previously disadvantaged schools, the situation in general is unsatisfactory. Schools without libraries in 1994 are still without libraries. The Department of Education of the Northern Cape also does not have an advisory structure or service to support schools with the development of libraries. On the positive side the funding of previously disadvantaged schools has improved considerably and much progress has been made with the establishment of a well functioning Education Department for the Northern Cape. However, the most promising solution to the provisioning problem is the school community library model. Recommendations based on the research centre around an Education Library and Information Service for the province and the appointment of advisers for the development of school libraries. They will also be responsible for the promotion of the teaching and learning of information skills in all the different learning areas. Recommendations inter alia also refer to structures for the facilitating of resource sharing and co-operation with the Provincial Library Service of the Northern Cape and the establishment of school community libraries where practical, especially in the rural areas. The implementation of outcomes-based education since 1998 has brought about increased utilization of libraries. The future development of school libraries will to a large extent depend on the appointment of library teachers and school library and information skills advisers.

Afrikaans: Hierdie verhandeling ondersoek sekere aspekte in verband met skoolbiblioteke in die NoordKaap Provinsie. Dit kyk eerstens na die beskikbaarheid en voorsiening van skoolbiblioteke en terselfdertyd na ontwikkeling- en voorsieningstrukture vir skoolbiblioteke. Tweedens word die implikasies van uitkomsgebaseerde onderwys vir die benutting van skoolbiblioteke ondersoek. Die navorsing is relevant omdat daar groot ongelykhede in die beskikbaarheid van skoolbiblioteke is en omdat skoolbiblioteke 'n belangrike rol in uitkomsgebaseerde onderwys kan speel. Die doel van die studie is om moontlike oplossings vir die probleem, te wete onvoldoende skoolbiblioteekvoorsiening, te oorweeg omdat dit 'n direkte invloed op opvoeders en leerders se toegang tot inligtingsbronne in die provinsie het. Tegelykertyd word ook na metodes gesoek om die beskikbare biblioteekhulpbronne optimaal te benut. Tweedens is die doel van die studie om die kurrikulere benutting van inligtingsbronne en skoolbiblioteke vanuit 'n uitkomsgebaseerde onderwysperspektief te ondersoek omdat dit belangrik is om leerders se inligtingsvaardighede te verbeter. Dit is 'n bekwaamheid waaroor hulle moet beskik ten einde in 'n samelewing gedrewe deur inligting te oorleef. Suid-Afrika het in 1994 'n nuwe demokratiese regeringstelsel gekry. Deel van die proses was die vorming van nege nuwe provinsies. Ten einde die situasie te begryp waarmee die NoordKaap in 1994 gekonfronteer is, word die ontwikkeling van skoolbiblioteke in die Onderwysdepartemente wat vir die administrasie van skole in die provinsie tot 1994 verantwoordelik was, beskryf. Die voorstelle van nie-regeringsorganisasies hoe om die situasie reg te stel (1990 - 1995), is ondersoek, asook die Noord-Kaap se eie beplanning en voorstelling in hierdie verband (1994 - 1999). Die veranderende kurrikulere omgewing waarbinne skoolbiblioteke as gevolg van die implementering van uitkomsgebaseerde onderwys funksioneer, word met die oog op die benutting van skoolbiblioteke en die belangrikheid van inligtingsvaardighede as een van die kritieke uitkomste van Kurrikulum 2005, bespreek. Die ontwikkeling met betrekking tot skoolbiblioteke in die Noord-Kaap sedert 1999 is ook beskryf. Onderhoude is onder meer met beamptes van die Provinsiale Biblioteekdiens en die Stadsbiblioteek van Kimberley gevoer. 'n Belangrike aspek van die navorsing is Suid-Afrika se nuwe grondwet en onderwyswette en -beleid, veral die nasionale beleid oor die befondsing van skole omdat provinsies dit moet implementeer. Die navorsing het aangetoon dat alhoewel daar vordering gemaak is met die voorsiening van inligtingsbronne aan agtergeblewe skole, die situasie in die algemeen nog onbevredigend is. Skole wat in 1994 sonder 'n biblioteek was, is nog steeds sonder 'n biblioteek. Die NoordKaapse Onderwysdepartement het ook nie 'n adviesstruktuur of -diens waardeur skole met die ontwikkeling van 'n biblioteek bygestaan kan word nie. Aan die positiewe kant het die befondsing van agtergeblewe skole aansienlik verbeter en baie vordering is met die vorming van 'n Onderwysdepartement vir die Noord-Kaap gemaak. Die belowendste oplossing vir die voorsieningsprobleem is egter die skoolgemeenskapsmodel. Aanbevelings gebaseer op die navorsing is gesentreer rondom 'n Onderwysbiblioteek- en Inligtingsdiens vir die provinsie en die aanstelling van adviseurs vir die ontwikkeling van skoolbiblioteke. Hulle sal terselfdertyd daarvoor verantwoordelik wees om die onderrig van inligtingsvaardighede as deel van die verskillende leerareas te bevorder. Die aanbevelings verwys ook onder andere na strukture om bronnedeling en samewerking met gemeenskapsbiblioteke en die Provinsiale Biblioteekdiens te fasiliteer en die vorming van skoolgemeenskapsbiblioteke waar dit prakties moontlik is, veral in die landelike gebied. Die implementering van uitkomsgebaseerde onderwys sedert 1998 het daartoe gelei dat biblioteke toenemend benut word. Die verdere ontwikkeling van skoolbiblioteke sal in 'n groot mate afhang van die aanstelling van biblioteekonderwysers en -adviseurs vir skoolbiblioteke en inligtingsvaardighede.