Some pupils without workbooks: DA

992 24.06.2012 Text books and stationary at the Department of Education's wearhouse in Polokwana after the department delayed in suppying schools around the Limpopo province. Picture: Itumeleng English

992 24.06.2012 Text books and stationary at the Department of Education's wearhouse in Polokwana after the department delayed in suppying schools around the Limpopo province. Picture: Itumeleng English

Published Sep 4, 2012

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Johannesburg - Some pupils at Edenglen Primary School in Ekurhuleni have still not received workbooks for the second half of the academic year, the DA in Gauteng said on Tuesday.

“It is unacceptable that students do not have the necessary study materials this far into the academic year,” DA spokesman Khume Ramulifho said in a statement.

But, spokesman for the provincial department of education Charles Phahlane said: “This is an old matter”.

He referred questions to the national department.

Basic education department spokesman Panyaza Lesufi responded with disbelief.

“That's not possible. Why didn't they notify us?”

He said the department had a policy of delivering workbooks within 18 days of being notified of a shortage, but could not act if it was not aware of the problem.

Ramulifho said that the Democratic Alliance previously raised its concerns about the late delivery of workbooks at the Edenglen Primary School.

“This school also only received workbooks for the first half of this year in May.”

He said the responsibility for the workbooks rested with Minister Angie Motshekga, but still felt that Gauteng Education MEC Mary Creecy had “dodged” her duties.

“Instead it was up to the DA to raise the red flag about workbooks in the province.”

Earlier in the provincial legislature, Creecy said plans for the delivery of textbooks and learning materials for Gauteng schools for the 2013 academic year were on track.

“I would like to assure the members in the house that we have put in place clear processes to ensure that all textbooks are delivered... before the start of the new academic year,” she said.

Learner teacher support materials (LTSM) for Gauteng's 190 Section 20 schools - those schools that are not self-managing - had been ordered by the department. These schools received R73 million for LTSM over the 2012/2013 financial year.

In these schools, orders for Grades Four to Six and Grade 11 books were placed before the deadline of August 15.

Creecy said the books were expected in November.

“There are no expected delays in deliveries. However, it should be noted that publishers take between eight to 12 weeks to print and deliver the orders placed.”

Self-managing Section 21 schools are responsible for procuring their own learning materials.

For next year, the department had allocated R588 million for LTSM for the 1855 Section 21 schools in the province.

“ 1/8These schools 3/8 are required to follow a three-quotation system to find the cheapest supplier and place orders,” Creecy said.

Subsidies were also in place to replace lost or damaged textbooks.

The department also monitored districts to ensure that shortages or erroneous deliveries could be rectified in time to prevent teaching disruptions. - Sapa

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