Kibabii University’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Isaac Ipara Odeo addressed a delegation of teacher-librarians and head teachers of participating schools during the 9th African Library Project Summit that was held on 5th March, 2024 at Vannah Hotel in Migori County. He was joined by Rongo University’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Samuel Gudu, the Migori County Director of Education, Prof. Rose Odhiambo, and the African Library Project’s founder, Ms. Chris Bradshaw from the United States of America.
The Summit is a culmination of the implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Rongo University, African Library Project (ALP) and Kibabii University in May, 2019. To date, a lot has been achieved through ALP, Kibabii University chapter. Forty one (41) learning institutions have so far benefitted from the Project, and sixty one (61) teacher-librarians within Bungoma County have since been trained on setting up and managing school libraries.
The Vice Chancellor noted that the library is the cradle of civilization and that no single leader has become great without reading. He noted examples of His Excellency the late former President of Kenya, Mwai Kibaki, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, Thabo Mbeki and Nelson Mandela of South Africa, as well as Barrack Obama who were/are avid readers.
He lauded the Library Project, noting that the books have had a lot of positive and significant impact, including improved performance, especially in the English subject.
Prof. Odeo reiterated Kibabii University’s commitment to growing the Library Project. He informed the delegation that the County Government of Bungoma has been requested to support the Project and the National Government to enhance the budget and provide logistics towards making Bungoma a reading County.
In his closing remarks, he said, “… you may or may not love to read, but you have the key of the kingdom of reading and literacy.”
