The Oil Search Foundation with its development partners opened the first Buk Bilong Pikinini Library in Tari, Hela Province on Monday.
Aimed to drive early childhood development through literacy, it will teach pre-school children how to read, introduce them to the world of learning and increase their awareness of important health, hygiene and social issues.
Chair of the Oil Search Foundation and Oil Search Managing Director, Peter Botten said the focus of the library program was determined by communities who saw literacy as a top priority. He said the library is part of the many work the Oil Search Foundation will do in Hela as its contribution to the province.
Meanwhile, founder of the Buk Bilong Pikinini, Anne Sophie Hermann said there is a need for proper libraries in schools throughout the country.
“We have 17 established libraries throughout Papua New Guinea. But there is still a need to improve our main school system libraries as most them have depleted over the years,” Hermann said.
She added the training of teachers also plays a key role in early childhood learning.
The library was officially opened by the Prime Minister’s wife, Lynda Babao O’Neill and is fitted with 3000 books.
