The Eastern Cape Department of Education has done it again, as about 99 percent of textbooks have been delivered to schools across the province. The delivery follows a promise made by the Member of the Executive Council, the honourable Mahlubandile Qwase last year to improve the learner teacher support material delivery each year.
Qwase laid his head on the block to deliver these textbooks before the start of tuition this academic year so that teachers can teach on the first on the day of schooling this year, and learners can learn without being worried about books to be delivered in due course but promised to improve in 2009’s record of finishing deliveries by 15 October 2008.
According to the Chief Education Specialist in the learner teacher support material section Noxolo Gwarube, the learner teacher support material is divided into two categories which are text books and stationery.
“We usually get text books from publishers and we get stationery from suppliers,” explained Gwarube.
Due to the legislation, the department is responsible for supplying text books and stationery to the section 20 schools, while section 21 schools who manage their own budget manage their affairs. According to Gwarube, last year (2009) deliveries of text books started on time.
“Text book deliveries were done by the end of the last term of the school calendar last year except for those schools that submitted their requisitions late,” said Gwarube.
She added that due to this challenge, 99 percent has been delivered and the other one percent will be delivered before the end of April this year. These good results of deliveries according to Gwarube might add another Balasela award coming the departments’ way.
“We are really hoping that we will once again receive the Balasela Award for our excellent job,” boasted Gwarube.
Although there are challenges for the delivery of stationery, the department has awarded tenders to 23 suppliers who will be delivering stationery to schools.
“Due to the challenges we encountered when these tenders were awarded such as cancellation of the tender adverts two times, we are a bit behind with deliveries,” explained Gwarube.
She added that deliveries were suppose to have commenced from the fourth to the 10th of this month but because of challenges encountered deliveries started on 11 January 2010.
There are currently 2 380 schools which are targeted for stationery deliveries and only 148 schools where stationery has been delivered already, which then leaves 2 232 schools that are still waiting for their deliveries. Gwarube said that these outstanding schools will be sorted out by 15 February 2010.
Issued by: Department of Education, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
15 January 2010
Source: Department of Education, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
(http://www.ecdoe.gov.za/)
