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‘One illiterate child is one child too many. . . . . .’

                                                                           Dr. L. Galea Minister of Education: Sep    13, 2003

The Literacy Centre’s opening Ceremony was held on 27^th February 2004.  Thanks to funds from NCC, a good selection of books was bought in the scholastic year 2003-2004.  Subsequently other books were added again with Funds from NCC of scholastic year 2004-2005.  The total number of books presently found at Literacy Centre is almost 2,000 books.

The Centre’s main aim is to raise the Literacy standards by:

(i)                 Providing appealing and interesting books  / resources. (Giving importance to both the Maltese and English Languages.)

(ii)               Supporting schools(teachers, facilitators, kindergarten assistants and other peripatetic teachers)  in choosing the right books and resources.

(iii)             Supporting schools (teachers, facilitators, kindergarten assistants and other peripatetic teachers) in buying the right books and resources for the needs and level of their students.

(iv)             Facilitating transition from primary to secondary schools of students who are low achievers.

(v)               To help create a society in which every member has the appropriate literacy skills to realise their full potential

The Literacy Centre is co-ordinated by Ms. I. Vella – Literacy Support Teacher for Gozo.  Every week a time-table of opening hours is sent to all primary and secondary schools in Gozo.  This time-table is planned weekly according to the other work and exigencies of the Literacy support teacher.  On average the Literacy Centre is open 4-5 hours per week.  Also, Ms. Vella is often contacted for appointments when the persons cannot come at the time planned by Literacy teacher.  The books borrowed can be kept for three weeks.  However the books can be kept for a longer period of time when these are used for long-term projects.

Different educationalists borrow books and resources form the Literacy Centre.  One can categorize them into different categories:

(i)                 Heads / Assistant Heads of Primary schools

(ii)               Teachers of Secondary schools

(iii)             Teachers of Primary Schools  (1)

(iv)             Complementary Teachers (Church & State schools)

(v)               Facilitators (Primary & Secondary schools)

(vi)             Kindergarten Assistants

(vii)           Teachers working at Special unit – Sannat

(viii)         Peripatetic Teachers for the Deaf

(ix)             Peripatetic Teachers Home Tuition

(x)               Education Officers

(xi)             Tutors for NWAR Service (Literacy support programme FES)

(xii)           Tutors of HILTI (Literacy support programme FES)

(xiii)         Student teachers for Teaching practice

(xiv)         Teachers working with other agencies e.g. Eden Foundation

This wide spectrum of persons that borrow books from Literacy Centre shows that there is in fact a great need for this Centre.  Other than borrowing books and resources, one can also analyse the materials available on the market.  Moreover, books can be used with the students and thus evaluated before bought from the schools.  One also finds many catalogues, which are also borrowed by the schools. 

Most of the books at the Literacy Centre are aimed for those students who are at risk and for those with learning difficulties.  Emphasis has been made on having a number of copies from the same titles so that the complementary teachers can use these sets during complementary sessions.  Also, there are other sets, which are used both in primary classes and in the Form 1 and Form 2 special classes.  Moreover, the secondary students of the  Form 1 and Form 2 special classes are borrowing books from Literacy Centre to read at home. 

Other activities in which the books of literacy centre are used in the schools:

(i)                 Shared Reading of Parents with their children

(ii)               Projects of the Language Practice Award

(iii)             Meetings for Parents re. Literacy at home

(iv)             Reading Activities done in the Literacy room / classrooms

(v)               Supporting the school in their Literacy activities described in their School Development Plans

(vi)      Giving a number of books in class libraries in schools so that students have more diversified books to choose from.

(vii)     Supporting lower stream classes in secondary schools.

In a knowledge-based society, basic literacy is an absolute must.  Literacy has a direct effect on the quality of life experienced by an individual.  It is thus our responsibility to do all we can to promote literacy in all the schools in our Region.

“Literacy is not a luxury, it is a right and a responsibility.  If our world is to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century we must harness the energy and creativity of all our citizens”

President Clinton on International Literacy Day,

Sep 1994 (www.literacy trust.org.ik)

For any queries regarding opening hours please contact Ms I. Vella on:

Tel: 21564642

Click here to see a slide show about the Literacy Centre activities.

Created and maintained by Geoffrey Mizzi B.Educ. (Hons.)

January 2005

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