How Do Publishers Meet Teacher's Needs

by Eva Baronga

Panel Discussion

Introduction

In publishing Industry there are different publishers who specializes in different publications such as:

-Newspapers

-Journals

-Books of all categories

-Books for children/Story books

-Readers/supplementary readers

Personally, I am in the group of those that publish children’s books, mainly story books Our Association is called the Uganda Children’s Writers And Illustrators Association (UCWIA)

Aim

We set this Association with the aim of bringing together writers and illustrators of children books and encouraging them to write and illustrate suitable reading materials with African touch.

Objectives One of our objectives, which is more related to the theme of the workshop, it is to promote and preservation of indigenous culture through literature. Activities In order to fulfil the Association’s mission, UCWIA undertakes the production of children’s books with emphasis on the following:

a) Identify themes suitable for children

b) Writing books with an African touch

c) Illustrate books with African images to give them an African touch

d) Writing and editing

e) Printing and publishing selected materials

After going through that, UCWIA has

a) Set up reading groups

b) Organized talks

c) Organized workshops gearing towards improving skills in the production of reading materials.

Throughout this preparation UCWIA tries to meet the consumer’s needs

Problems There are several problems, such as:

a) Reading culture in Uganda has not yet matured

b) UCWIA has not published many titles in local languages: only three titles in two languages

c) Marketing needs a lot of money

d) School children are left with no time to read for pleasure, they are always engaged with school work.

Conclusion UCWIA has entered the struggle of encouraging, promoting and preserving indigenous cultures through literature.