The 59 titles are designed to make reading more relevant to children by reflecting their lives, communities and experiences.

The books have been written by professional writers, students and people from local communities, with stories addressing issues that are familiar and relevant to Vanuatu.

Among the popular titles is a story about Vanuatu footballer Brian Kaltack, which has attracted interest from students.

The programme has reached 19,918 students in 183 schools, including 91 schools in SANMA and 92 in SHEFA.

In total, 26,845 culturally relevant books have been delivered to schools.

Save the Children’s Director of Advocacy, Communications and Stakeholder Engagement, Olive Taurakoto, said literacy remains a major challenge in Vanuatu, with children facing difficulties in basic reading and comprehension despite progressing through the education system.

She said the increasing use of modern technology and digital devices was also contributing to the problem, as children can become distracted by devices instead of spending time reading.

“The issue of literacy is very challenging,” she said. “Modern technology devices also contribute to illiteracy in children because it distracts them.”

She said organisations such as Save the Children had an important role to play by developing creative and innovative approaches to challenges identified within the country.

Taurakoto said the local connection was important because children were more likely to engage with stories they could recognise and relate to.

The books also feature brown-skinned characters and illustrations that reflect Ni-Vanuatu people, giving children an opportunity to see themselves represented in the stories they read.

The programme’s endline study found that 99 per cent of students surveyed said the books motivated them to read more, while 85 per cent said they could recognise their lives and communities in the books.

Teachers have also reported positive results, with 86 per cent saying the Library for All books supported children’s learning and literacy, while 93 per cent said they used the books during daily reading activities.

Daily reading increased by between 25 and 28 percentage points during the project.

Taurakoto said the results were particularly important given concerns that some students were reaching higher levels of education without having developed strong basic reading and comprehension skills.

“We already have universities talking about how Ni-Vans have reached tertiary level but simple basic reading and comprehension is not there,” she said.

“So we have a responsibility to address this.”

She said Save the Children was pleased that the Ministry of Education recognised the importance of working with organisations such as Save the Children to improve literacy.

The Library for All programme was established in response to challenges including limited access to reading materials, teacher capacity and the impact of disasters on education.

The endline study also recommended greater attention to rural schools, particularly in SANMA, as well as the creation of safe spaces where children can read.

It recommended that teachers receive orientation when books are delivered, supported by monitoring visits and practical guidance on how to use the materials effectively.

Future deliveries should also be organised according to year levels and include multiple copies of books, while new reading materials should be aligned with the curriculum and include activities and glossaries.

Taurakoto said the other provinces are in the pipeline to receive the books to help improve literacy in schools.

The study further recommends continued support for local authorship and mother-tongue drafting, while prioritising printed books before digital materials.

With the programme now reaching thousands of students, Save the Children says locally relevant reading materials can play an important role in encouraging children to return to books and strengthening their performance in school.

SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST