More Books For More School Children

More young New Zealanders will be able to experience the thrills of reading and books thanks to extra Government funding announced today for the Alan Duff "Books in Homes" programme.

Education Minister Wyatt Creech, has announced an extra $1.5 million over three years for Books in Homes. This is on top of the $800,000 per annum the Government currently provides towards the scheme.

"The Government has made it a top priority to lift the reading abilities of young New Zealanders. We have already announced the new goal of getting every child to read, write and do maths by the time they are nine years old, by the Year 2005.

"The extra funding for Books in Homes complements the work being done to try to meet that goal," Mr Creech said.

"The Government, educationalists, teachers, parents and students have been extremely impressed with the success of Books in Homes. As Education Minister, I can see the difference this innovative programme has made in inspiring and motivating young New Zealanders who might have missed out on books and reading."

The Books in Homes programme has come under pressure from more rural schools and schools that teach in Te Reo Maori. The extra Government resources will enable the Alan Duff Charitable Foundation to help fund the increased demand.

The new funding will also help pay for a pilot programme called Kids at Home. Kids at Home will target 100 primary schools in lower socio-economic areas and will encourage school aged students to choose a book to give to their younger brother or sister to mark their second, third or fourth birthday.

"The aim of this proposal is to get as many young children at the earliest age possible to hook into books and reading," Mr Creech said.

The extra Books in Homes funding was over and above the $10.5 million over three years to fund innovative programmes to get kids, reading, writing and doing maths. This pool of funding was announced to help achieve the reading, writing and maths goal. The new Books in Homes

funding is also on top of the $6.5 million over three years set aside to improve literacy in schools in Mangere and Otara.