We just want our textbooks, say ‘frustrated’ Eastern Cape schools

Principals in Eastern Cape are pleading with the provincial education department to supply them with textbooks before schools reopen on Tuesday.

A snap survey by the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of SA (Naptosa) of just 400 schools in the province revealed that 113 of those that responded by Friday had not received textbooks.

And at least 26 of the 115 schools that did receive learning material complained of not being supplied with the correct quantity.

This comes despite the high court in Makhanda on March 15 ordering the department to ensure all pupils attending public schools in the province be provided with textbooks and stationery by the end of last month.

The court action was brought by Khula Development Forum, represented by the Legal Resources Centre.

According to a March 25 affidavit by Naledi Mbude, the head of department for education in the Eastern Cape, the delivery of “top-up” textbooks to 3,910 schools was scheduled for March 25 to 31. “Top-up” textbooks are meant to replace those that have been lost, stolen or damaged.

In the Naptosa survey, Mazibuko Senior Secondary said: “I wish I can receive my textbooks.”

Flagstaff Secondary said “the situation is so terrible, we need textbooks”, Siviwe Buso Primary summed it up with the word “frustrated” and Bijolo Junior Secondary said “children suffer a lot due to the absence of LTSM [learning and teaching support materials]” .

Mahlungulu Primary School’s comment was: “Please do whatever is necessary to rescue the situation; our learners and teachers are struggling without these resources.”

They were given an ultimatum to deliver by March 31. The silence of the MEC [for education] on this matter is deafening. Naptosa is disappointed in how the future of the nation is mishandled by officials.

—  Loyiso Mbinda, CEO, Naptosa Eastern Cape

Some of the dozens of complaints in the Naptosa survey from schools that received books included “the textbooks are a quarter of what we expected”, “it was barely enough”, “grades 10 and 11 don’t have textbooks” and “10% of the textbook order delivered”.

Loyiso Mbinda, provincial CEO for Naptosa in the Eastern Cape, said the department had no capacity to deliver LTSM.

“They were given an ultimatum to deliver by March 31. The silence of the MEC [for education] on this matter is deafening. Naptosa is disappointed in how the future of the nation is mishandled by officials.”

The DA’s shadow MEC for education in the province, Yusuf Cassim, said even a court of law seemed unable to get the department to fulfil its primary mandate.

“What is even more concerning is that the failed deliveries are only for the top-up books ordered by schools. The last full complement of textbooks was ordered in 2016. These textbooks have a five-year lifespan, which means we are already overdue in replacing all the books.”

He said to replace them would cost an estimated R2.5bn, which the department had not budgeted for in the current or upcoming financial years.

The department’s spokesperson, Mali Mtima, did not respond to questions despite indicating on Tuesday that he was awaiting a response from a team “busy compiling it”.

The Sunday Times reported that the Mpumalanga provincial education department used its R120m textbook budget to buy 55,000 tablets for grade 12 pupils at a cost of R535m. Meanwhile, the other provinces, with the exception of Gauteng, which did not respond to media queries, confirmed they had delivered top-up textbooks to schools.

Western Cape education spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said textbooks ordered by 720 schools were delivered by December 3. She said graded readers for foundation phase pupils [grades R, 1, 2 and 3] were “topped up” intermittently and according to available budget.

“Jolly phonics starter reading kits for English home language learners were received by all schools and top-ups were made in February.”

North West education spokesperson Elias Malindi said 1,442 of the 1,450 schools ordered “top-up” textbooks and these were delivered.

“The eight schools that did not order have reached universal coverage, which means learners have books in all grades and in all subjects.”

KwaZulu-Natal education spokesperson Sihle Mlotshwa said 97.44% of textbooks ordered by 4,620 schools were delivered.

“The outstanding portion was because textbooks were out of print and schools were asked to select other titles. Deliveries of these will be finalised in the first week of the new term.”

Limpopo education spokesperson Tidimalo Chuene said textbooks were delivered to all 3,463 schools that ordered them.

“All 182 schools that placed orders for graded readers were supplied with them.”

Northern Cape education spokesperson Sydney Stander said 307 schools that ordered textbooks through the department were provided with them.

“A further 238 schools ordered through suppliers and 202 of them submitted delivery reports to their respective district offices.”

Free State education spokesperson Howard Ndaba said schools had procured this year’s textbooks and stationery last year.

He said the department was also providing additional reading material to foundation phase pupils “to ensure the much needed literacy skills develop as expected”.