A ruling by the High Court in Pretoria on Thursday on the non-supply of textbooks for Limpopo schools has been welcomed by research organisation Equal Education.
“This case was important in highlighting the importance of textbooks in education. Quality learning and teaching cannot take place without adequate access to textbooks,” the organisation said in a statement.
“Learners require textbooks to access information, to do homework and to study for tests and exams. Textbooks are also of vital importance to teachers. For many of them, they are their main source of subject content.”
Judge Jody Kollapen ruled that the basic education department's failure to provide textbooks for pupils at Limpopo schools violated their constitutional right to education.
He was passing judgment on an application brought by rights organisation Section 27, together with the National Association for School Governing Bodies (NASGB).
Kollapen ordered the department devise a catch-up plan to remedy the consequences of its delay in supplying teaching material.
He also ordered the department to supply the affected Limpopo schools with textbooks.
Following the court victory, education activists slated the department for “not doing its core business” but trying to “arrogantly” fight the campaigners' court action.
“We want to work with them, but we also want them to stop their arrogance. They should not have arrogantly told this court that the catch-up plan was a monumental waste of time,” Section 27 director Mark Heywood said.
Equal Education said a “Limpopo Education Crisis Conference” would be convened by different organisations with stakes in the education sector. - Sapa