60 million workbooks ready for the 2021 academic year

The increase in Covid-19 infections added more challenges to the academic year.

This includes loss of teaching times and children not having adequate facilities that allow for them to return to the classroom quicker.

Despite these challenges, the academic year has moved ahead.

Leading heavy-duty specialised printing company in Selby, south of Johannesburg Lebone Litho Printers (LLP) since 2011 was tasked with delivering over 60 million workbooks to South African schools, for learners in Grades R to Nine.

This includes workbooks in subjects such as mathematics, physical science and literature to over 6.5 million learners from 24 000 schools countrywide.

LLP is a 100 per cent black-owned and managed business.

It is an end-to-end printing supplier, achieving a 99.9 per cent quality delivery rate every time the books leave the warehouse.

CEO of Lebone Litho Printers Keith Michaels believe this national project cannot be compromised. That is why they give their best to deliver on it every year.

Once the books have been printed, they go through a stringent quality control process to eliminate the need for books to be recalled. This is to ensure uninterrupted teaching and learning when the school year begins.

According to Michaels, the company utilises top-of-the-range machines which print, fold and staple documents at the same time.

“Our machines help us to be proficient by producing documents with bar codes so we can determine when they were printed and where they should be delivered in a timely manner.

“However, LLP does not only rely on the machines to deliver this mammoth task but has put in place risk-mitigating systems and business continuity plans, which covers all eventualities,” he said.

“At the end of the day, the department has to be satisfied that books will be at schools whether there is Covid-19 disruption or not.

“Whether there is a truck strike or a building or factory burning down, the books must be delivered to schools at the appointed time,” says Michaels.

Thanks to its partnership with logistics company DSV, LLP manages to fulfil two workbook deliveries per year.
LLP has already delivered 35 million workbooks to 24 916 schools countrywide.

Deliveries are being done currently and the next phase will deliver 30 million books. Even though there is still a long way to go within the education system, through choosing committed and result-driven service providers they are certainly on the right track.

“We don’t take lightly the responsibility the department has thrust on our shoulders. We know that millions of children’s lives and thousands of teachers depend on us delivering a quality product that can be trusted with shaping the future of this nation,” concluded Michaels.