The recent relaunch of Dolly Parton’s free-book scheme in several areas of Wales has encouraged calls for proper national funding for the programme.
Under the scheme, children are granted access to free books posted by the Imagination Library each month from birth until their fifth birthday.
Its return will initially be observed in five communities: Clwyd, Brynmill and Llanrhidian primary schools in Swansea, Pencoed Primary School in Bridgend, and an area of Risca, near Newport.
Registration is eligible for all under-fives residing in those catchment areas.
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Pisa slump fuels push for reading funding
Funded by National Lottery Wales, the relaunch at Clwyd Primary School on November 4 was reportedly motivated by Wales’ latest result in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) – a test that gauges how well 15-year-olds can use reading, maths, and science skills in real-life situations.
The outcome suggested that Wales lacks progress compared to the three other countries of Great Britain.
Welsh Children’s Laureate Nicola Davies said she wanted it to be “properly funded” so that it could run “in every part in Wales.”
She said the National Curriculum for Wales “hardly mentions reading for pleasure”, despite research underscoring its significance to children’s performance across all subjects.
“I think the fundamental problem in government is that education is seen as a cost, not an investment,” she said.
The Welsh government said it kept its word on providing a library space in every primary school.
It even funded literacy projects through curriculum grants, including Love Reading Cymru and the Summer Reading Challenge, as well as the Ymgolli campaign.
Reading, it said, was “a central part of our curriculum.”
The scheme is delivered by The Dollywood Foundation UK and community-focused schools.
Regional director Helena Barrett-Duncan described the launch as “the beginning”, voicing hopes for an extension.
The charity is also looking at Welsh-language provision, and one bilingual book is already included.
A father-inspired book scheme
Parton, who passed away in August at the age of 80, was inspired to form the Imagination Library in 1995 by her father’s inability to read and write.
Amid the charity’s struggle to establish itself in Wales, it has provided almost eight million books to children across the United Kingdom since 2007.
Parents at the launch welcomed the scheme at a time of rising living costs.
The event featured performances by pupils and a Welsh-language version of Parton’s hit “Jolene” by singer-songwriter Bronwen Lewis.
The bilingual recording, which features Parton and her niece Jada Star, was released last month, following the revelation that Parton has Welsh ancestry in Machynlleth, Powys.
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