School starts the year without Maths Literacy textbooks

Grade 10 learners at M.E Makgatho Secondary School who opted to study Mathematics Literacy are likely to attend a number of lessons without textbooks and a qualified educator to teach the subject due to the Department of Education’s alleged failure to deliver textbooks before the beginning of the 2018 academic year and appointing an educator.
A lack of textbooks is a headache for about 222 schools across the province as pronounced by the department earlier this month and it was also reported that orders were placed with the publishers and will be delivered to schools on dates that are not yet known. It was learned when the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo visited the school last Thursday that not even a single textbook of the aforementioned subject was delivered to the school and there are no old ones because the subject was only introduced at the school this academic year in the commercial stream. According to the School Governing Body (SGB) chairperson, Moses Phambane they had placed orders on time but textbooks were not delivered.
He said the subject will be taught only in Grade 10 and reiterated that this was the first time the school didn’t get textbooks on time. He said the late delivery of textbooks will affect learners’ performance which is something they don’t want as the school only managed a 27,7% matric pass rate from 166 candidates last year.
Phambane indicated that they have enough textbooks for other subjects and reiterated that they were not happy with last year’s matric results. He said matrics did not attend extra classes last year and this is one of the reasons they performed badly. “We secured a sponsorship from a financial institution last year who provided the school with transport for Grade 12 learners to attend Maths and Physical Sciences lessons at Mall of the North every Sunday but only some learners were interested. This was a great opportunity for us but our learners did not see it that way,” he explained.
DA Provincial Leader Jacques Smalle together with three councilors had a private meeting with the principal before addressing journalists. He said circuits and district offices of the department did not play a role that is why textbooks were not delivered to a number of schools.
He added that the department had missed the boat once again and urged Education MEC Ishmael Kgetjepe to get his house in order.
“Our findings revealed that textbooks were ordered and delivered to districts offices but not delivered to schools. We are more concerned about learner teacher ratio and at M.E Makgatho it is 71 learners per teacher which is wrong. We will be visiting about 200 schools across the province,” he said and added that the party will put pressure on the department until things are done properly.
Department of Education Spokesperson, Sam Makondo said there was no late delivery because the school did not have the subject for two previous years and reiterated that schools order textbooks for an existing number of learners and not imaginary ones. “The school is only introducing the subject in 2018 and books are always ready to be delivered but they have to know the number of learners doing the subject. The school has an educator to teach the subject and such an educator is the head of department for Mathematics at the school.” Makondo explained and added that it was decided by the SGB to discontinue the subject in 2015 and now the SGB has decided to reintroduce the subject.

Story & photo: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za