The establishment of child-friendly libraries in six districts in Papua and West Papua Provinces received support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The establishment of children-friendly libraries in the provinces of Papua and West Papua is part of Unicef’s cooperation agenda with six district governments, namely Mimika, Biak, Jayawijaya, Jayapura, Manokwari, and Sorong. To realize the program, Unicef will cooperate with Children’s Literacy Foundation for Indonesia as a trainer to establish the children-friendly libraries in 30 schools in Papua and West Papua Provinces.
The inauguration of the children-friendly Library was held at YPPK Santo Rafael Elementary School, Kaugapu Village, Mimika, Papua, Monday (6/11). Head of YPPK Santo Rafael Kaugapu Elementary School, Rika Lefteuw would like to thank the parties who have helped the school to build the first children-friendly library in Mimika which in the future can be an example for other schools in the region.
The representative of the Children’s Literacy Foundation, Wahyu said that he is proud because his party can help the school to establish a children-friendly library. Furthermore, the libraries that have been built with Unicef and related parties are the property of the school. He hopes that the library can be utilized by students at the school, with the help of encouragement of teachers so that children at school are more interests to reading.
The children-friendly library that was inaugurated was established using School Operational Assistance Funds (BOS) in 2017. Some of the BOS funds that go into the school were set aside to build children-friendly libraries in addition to renovating the damaged infrastructure.
Secretary of Mimika, Ausilius You, assesses that the program of the establishment of children-friendly libraries promoted by Unicef in six districts of Papua and West Papua Provinces is very good and certainly will support to reduce of the illiteracy in Papua.
He hopes that the targeted schools for the children-friendly library establishment program can be successful and can serve as an example for other schools in developing child-friendly libraries, specifically in Mimika.
Meanwhile, Program Manager of YP2KP Timika, Angga, assess that the increase of literacy ability of students in the early class is very needed and one way to realize that is to improve the access for the children-friendly library to build children interests in reading and to build reading habit outside from the classroom. (republika.co.id, unicef.org)
Keywords: Papua, West Papua, Unicef, children-friendly library, education, literacy, culture
