Portuguese Language Congress calls for libraries in Guinea-Bissau

The conclusions of the congress, which brought together academics and experts from several Portuguese-speaking countries for three days in Bissau, highlighted the fact that Guinea-Bissau does not have a single public library.

"Those in charge have to think about this", considered Ibraima Djaló, director of the Higher School of Education - Tchico Té Unit, the promoter and host of the congress.

For this teacher, it is not possible to "talk about a developed country without the basis of education and it has to have libraries".

The Tchico Té unit itself, which offers a degree and will start in Portuguese in September, does not have a library.

In that establishment there is only the space of the Camões Institute, opened more than 20 years ago, for students to enjoy.

"But what about the other specialties? They don't have any. It's good that it's seen as an objective of the country, if we think about development we have to think about what is basic: education with teaching materials, libraries in all public schools", he argued.

According to him, the few spaces that exist with this name are not libraries, they are "a room with books".

"The country needs a public library", he stressed, challenging the government to think about it.

The three-day Portuguese language congress provided opportunities for interaction and academic debate and highlighted gaps in teaching.

According to the data that has been released, in Guinea-Bissau less than 5% of the population speaks Portuguese, while in other Portuguese-speaking countries the percentage reaches 80% in Angola or 48% in Mozambique.

In Guinea-Bissau, according to Ibraima Djaló, "there is a lack of fundamental foundations, teaching materials, students learn through the efforts of teachers and that is not enough".

"Teaching materials are needed for all levels of education. How can we develop the Portuguese language without materials?" he asked.

The country's political situation (instability) causes this, making the education system fragile, with delays in the start of classes or stoppages due to strikes, as you observed.

A step forward, as mentioned in the closing session of the congress, was taken in the school year that is ending with the distribution of school textbooks to students and guides to primary school teachers in public schools.

The congress was supported, among other partners, by the Camões Institute, which supports the degree in Portuguese language, the continuous training of teachers and the master's degree that starts next academic year and will be the first at this level of education in Guinea-Bissau.

The director of language services at the Camões Institute, Rui Vaz, attended the congress and said, on the sidelines of the closing session, that he will continue to support the next Strategic Cooperation Plan between Portugal and Guinea-Bissau.

The plan for the coming years is being prepared and Camões is creating, together with the Guinean authorities and a research group, which was hired for this purpose, a strategic document for the Portuguese language in Guinea-Bissau.

According to him, they are awaiting the results of this analysis with clues to "do more and better" in the next cycle of projects.

The promoters of the first International Congress on Teaching the Portuguese Language in Guinea-Bissau concluded their work with the prospect that next year there will "certainly be a second congress".

Read Also: Guinea-Bissau Navy is in barracks sold a decade ago