No stationery for Limpopo schools

Hudson Ntsanwisi Secondary School only received textbooks for Grade 12 before the school holidays and the other grades still have not received theirs by Wednesday, Letaba Herald reported.

Meanwhile, Ben Vorster High School received theirs, but they did not receive their writing journals on the first day of school.

The department of education spokesperson, Naledzani Rasila, said the delay in the delivery of stationery was mainly due to the appointment of a new supplier, following the expiry of a three-year contract that supplied stationery to all government schools in the province.

“Delivery of textbooks, in the form of top-ups, on the other hand, has been delivered to all the schools that have made their orders in time. However, mop-ups continue in schools that did not place their orders in time to ensure that teaching and learning goes on unhindered. Schools and their management teams will be updated at all the time through their circuit offices and districts,” Rasila said.

He further said that they were monitoring closely the delivery of learner support material and that they would like to apologise to the school community for any inconvenience that might have been caused by this delay.

“We are working around the clock to ensure that delivery is completed by the end of January,” concluded Rasila.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) is having none of that.

They said they were irked that the MEC of education, Ishmael Kgetjepe, had once more distorted the truth and covered up the incompetency of his department around the delivery of textbooks to schools in Limpopo for the new academic year.

“As the academic year commences, our learners and teachers will remain in the starting blocks waiting for textbooks and learning materials, which most of them cannot afford to purchase. We will write to MEC Kgetjepe to determine this and request an update regarding the textbooks delivery across the province as well as a time frame of completion,” said DA member of parliament and Provincial Spokesperson on Education, Jacques Smalle.

So far, 1 000 schools have been covered, mainly in Vhembe and Capricorn. Mopani, Sekhukhune and Waterberg are still yet to receive their learner support material.

Some of the schools in Mopani which did not receive their learner support material include; Magoza Secondary School, Matsambu High School, Mavumba Primary School, Lephepane Primary school and Dududu Primary school.

– Caxton News Service