Education dept blames non-delivery of textbooks on principals
The basic department of education is once again in court over the shortage of textbooks in Limpopo, with Section 27, representing Better Education For All (BEFA), a community-based organisation of parents, teachers, principals and concerned community members in Limpopo, being the complainant.
POLOKWANE – The basic department of education is once again in court over the shortage of textbooks in Limpopo, with Section 27, representing Better Education For All (BEFA), a community-based organisation of parents, teachers, principals and concerned community members in Limpopo, being the complainant.
The case was being heard in the Pretoria high court on Tuesday and yesterday (Wednesday), with Section 27 claiming there was still a widespread shortage of textbooks at schools in the province.
According to various schools, Section 27 and the DA Limpopo, there still existed a shortage of some 18 000 textbooks at 23 schools in the province.
Yesterday, the department in court said the shortages were caused by principals, who failed to report incomplete deliveries.
The department also maintained that textbooks were not retrieved from learners at the end of last year.
Counsel for the department said schools were reminded before the end of last year to report shortages, which didn’t happen.
It was claimed that many schools only reported shortages after January this year.
The issue of a shortage of textbooks was first brought before court in 2012, when judge Jody Kollapen ruled that a lack of textbooks was infringing on children’s rights to education.
The department was ordered to deliver the outstanding textbooks with immediate effect.
In April, Section 27 returned to court with an urgent application to force the department to attend to an alleged shortage of textbooks in the province.
Judge Neil Tuchten at the time encouraged the parties to reach an agreement outside court, saying if this was not possible, the parties could return to court.
At the same time the urgent application was brought before court, premier Stanley Mathabatha ordered visits to two of the schools where it was claimed that textbooks were still outstanding. His spokesperson, Kenny Mathivha said no shortage of textbooks was found at Ranti Secondary School, and at Gwara Gwara Combined School, a few gr. 10 and gr. 11 textbooks were not available to the learners.
Mathiva attributed this shortage to learners who migrate between schools.
This week, it was agreed that shortages for the 2014 academic year will be delivered by May 8.
The applicants in the case want this to be made a court order, which the department is opposing.
