15 December 2012 marks the deadline for the delivery of textbooks to Limpopo schools for Grades 4, 5, 6 and 11 for 2013. This court-imposed deadline follows a failure by the Department of Basic Education and the Limpopo Department of Education to deliver textbooks to Limpopo schools for most of the 2012 academic year. Grades 4, 5, 6 and 11 will be starting the CAPS syllabus next year.
To assist the DBE to keep its promise we urge all school governing bodies (SGBs), learner organisations, parents and unions of teachers to report any shortages or incorrect delivery of these materials to the nearest office of the DBE. Also, send your reports to the one of the following organisations who will be monitoring the DBE’s progress with delivery of books.
PM Live talks with Mark Heywood about the Limpopo Texbook Crisis on 08-08-2012.
Yesterday SECTION27 received the Department of Basic Education’s (DBE) progress report on the implementation of the catch-up plan (this and the catch-up plan are attached). While we are still studying and seeking expert input on the catch-up plan, we believe that it is inadequate and a clear violation of both the 17 May order of court and the settlement agreement between SECTION27 and the DBE which was made an order of court on 26 June.
SECTION27 has noted various unfortunate statements on the text book crisis in Limpopo as well as attack on the legal action of SECTION27 and comments by COSATU General Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi. Below we set out the facts about how this crisis has unfolded in the last seven months.
We believe there has been a collective failure of many organisations that represent the poor, including COSATU, SADTU, the churches, the ANC, school governing bodies, and civil society in allowing an educational crisis, such as that in Limpopo (and other parts of the country) to develop over months and years.
The most important lesson of the Limpopo text book crisis is a reminder of the need for ongoing monitoring and action to protect and advance the rights of the poor and vulnerable in South Africa, in this case learners.
SECTION27 and the Department of Basic Education released the ‘verification report’ into the delivery of textbooks to learners in grades 1-3 and grade 10 in Limpopo Schools.We thank Professor Metcalfe and her team. Not only have they done a great amount of work in the last two weeks, but they have made a personal sacrifice out of a commitment to the right to basic education.
SECTION27’s intention is not to vilify any particular person. However, we maintain our position that once the National Executive (Cabinet) decided to intervene in Limpopo under s100(1)(b) of the Constitution they assumed, through the DBE, full responsibility for meeting minimum standards for the delivery of basic education services within the Province.
SECTION27 together with the Department of Basic Education will release the report on the verification of textbook delivery in Limpopo conducted by Professor Mary Metcalfe and her verification team at 12h45 today, Monday 16th July, at SECTION27’s offices: 6th Floor, Braamfontein Centre, 23 Jorissen Street, Braamfontein.
REPORT ON LIMPOPO TEXTBOOKS VERIFICATION TEAM TO BE MADE PUBLIC ON 16 JULY 2012 This afternoon SECTION27 and the Department of Basic Education (DBE) met with Prof Mary Metcalfe to receive a report back on the findings of the independent verification team working in Limpopo for the past two weeks. Continue Reading
The DBE and Section 27 have agreed that Prof. Mary Metcalfe will lead an independent verification of the progress reports relating to delivery of textbooks to
schools in Limpopo. This is necessary both in order to assess the state of delivery of the current textbooks, and to provide recommendations that will assist in future years. The verification exercise will focus on learning materials to learners in grades one, two, three and 10 in Limpopo.
SECTION27 and the Department of Basic Education (DBE) held a press conference today, 28 June 2012, regarding the delivery of textbooks to Limpopo learners and compliance with the court order and settlement agreement coming out of SECTION27’s litigation against the DBE and the Limpopo Department of Education. SECTION27 is calling for an independent verification of the report that textbooks have been delivered. Read SECTION27’s full press statement by clicking “read more” below.
On 21 June 2012, representatives of the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and SECTION27 met to try to resolve the ongoing challenge of availability of textbooks to learners in Limpopo and compliance with the court order of Judge Kollapen, which was delivered on 17 May 2012. The parties reached a settlement agreement, a summary of which can be read by clicking “read more” below.
Click “read more” below to download an update on textbook delivery to Grade Ten learners in Limpopo.