Introduction
This report from the Department of Basic Education (DBE) focuses on two key aspects of the Section 100(1)(b) intervention in the Limpopo Education Department: being a progress report on the procurement and delivery of supplementary orders for Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS)–aligned textbooks Learning and Teaching Support Materials (LTSM) as of 12 October 2012; and secondly, a report on the Catch-Up Programme for Grade 10 learners in Limpopo schools.
1. Procurement of supplementary orders for caps aligned textbooks for grade 10
Background
- 92% of Grade 10 textbooks (equivalent to 1,027,585 textbooks) were procured and delivered to schools in Limpopo around June/July 2012;
- the remaining 8% of Grade 10 textbooks (equivalent to 89,350 textbooks) constitute the shortages that were reported by schools around August 2012; and
- the reported shortages were due to circumstances beyond the control of the department – a fact recognised and accepted by the North Gauteng High Court.
- These textbooks were either in short-supply or not printed at all by the publishers. Schools in Limpopo experienced different kinds of shortages attributable to various factors which in essence confirmed the collapse of systems and mechanisms to deliver Learning and Teaching Support Materials in that province.
Reasons for shortages
The following factors accounted for shortages:
- Lack of credibility and authenticity of data;
- Unavailability of stock for certain titles when orders were placed for the first time;
- New schools that were not captured on the existing data base;
- Schools which extended curriculum offerings in grades, for subjects, without following the proper approval process;
- Changes in learner numbers during the year of delivery given the fact that the deliveries are based on the previous year’s data;
- Schools which changed the medium of instruction e.g. Dual medium of English and Afrikaans;
- Schools reporting preferred shortages instead of shortages for titles provided;
- Schools refusing to receive books because of titles that they didn’t prefer on order;
- Pricing monopoly of single titles on the catalogue which were unaffordable for the state (e.g. Sepedi FP); and
- Titles in the addendum catalogue became available only on 30 May 2012.
Approach
The approach was to ensure verification of data from all sources shown below:
- Identification of all sources of data
- List of all data sets
- Call centre recording verified information on shortages with principals
- District directors signing a declaration form to confirm shortages
- Verification team visiting the ten (10) schools to verify information
- Verification team following up on the deliveries of back orders on Xitsonga, Tshivenda and Isindebele
- Verification team following up on the printing and delivery of Sepedi and Setswana books from Government Printers
Development of the master list
The Master List has been developed from these identified sources of data:
- District report without breakdown per school
- Report from schools submitted via the district in response to the circular sent from the provincial office
- Names of the schools from the Court application documents
- Report from the DBE Call Centre
- Report on recorded calls with 1 000 schools at the Workbook Service Provider’s Call Centre
Calls from DBE call centre (6 Aug to 7 Sep)
(a) Altogether 70 calls were logged with the Call Centre in this period to report on Grade 10 and FP book shortages:
- 29 High Schools
- 41 Primary schools
(b) The district that reported most shortages was the Waterberg District – one of the 15 under-performing districts (followed by the Mopani district):
- 18 High Schools
- 12 Primary Schools
(c) Whilst there were no callers from Sekhukhune on Grade 10 shortages, nine schools called in to report Foundation Phase shortages.
Strengthening Information received through Call Centre
A protocol was developed to guide Call Centre agents in the collection of information on reported shortages.
Verification of Information
(a) All 29 High Schools that reported shortages were called to confirm information provided and verify titles;
(b) 20 schools were able to provide both titles and numbers;
(c) Nine schools confirmed shortages but could not provide titles of the books in the various subjects. They indicated their preparedness to accept any books on the national catalogue.
(d) The Siyavula/ Shuttleworth Mathematics and Physical Science textbooks for Grades 10 to 12 were not seen as core texts and so many schools reported shortages in Mathematics and Physical Science, in spite of the fact that these had been distributed by the Department of Basic Education at the beginning of 2012. This matter is clarified when the Call Centre calls the schools.*
Back orders – foundation phase
(a) Back Orders were placed for books for languages not provided for in the original order as there were no books on the catalogue for these languages and delivered from the central warehouse by 24 August 2012:
- Xitsonga - 630 packs each of Big Books and Phonics Programmes for 315 schools
- Tshivenda – 942 packs each of Big Books and Phonics Programmes for 471 schools
- IsiNdebele - 24 packs of each Big Books and Phonics Programmes for 12 schools
- Sepedi readers were delivered to schools out of the central warehouse on 3 September.
(b) Printing delivery of Setswana Big Books:
- 33 schools ordered Setswana Books
- DBE ordered 50 x 5 packs of books.
- One pack comprises 4x Grade 1, 4x Grade 2 and 4x Grade 3
- Delivering began on 14 September 2012 and was completed on Wednesday, 19 September 2012.
Shortages orders – Grade 10
(a) On 10 September 2012, 14 publishers were identified with whom orders were placed for 143,146 books for 46 titles;
(b) On 11 September 2012 publishers were contacted to establish and verify quantities of stock available and to arrange for collection of stock;
(c) On 12 September 2012arrangements were made to pick up available stock (52,897 books of 40 Titles) from the physical location of publishers in Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Pietermaritzburg, Durban, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Swaziland and transported by air and road on 13 September 2012;
(d) Approximately 30,000 Life Sciences and Life Orientation textbooks were sourced from alternate publishers and collected by DBE service provider and transported by air and road.
(e) All available stock moved to warehouse of DBE service provider in Polokwane for pick and pack and delivery to schools on 14 September 2012
Workbooks and Siyavula Mathematics and Physical Science
(a) Workbooks were provided to 16 schools that reported shortages.
(b) Shortages of Siyavula Mathematics and Physical Science textbooks were provided for in a parallel process with delivery of shortages for textbooks.
Delivery progress
(a) A 24 hour pick and pack process was effected at the central warehouse of the Department of Basic Education service provider in Polokwane on 13 September 2012.
(b) By the morning of 14 September 2012, delivery was made to 125 schools by 07h00.
(c) Additional resources were sourced to expedite the pick and pack process for the remainder of the 190 schools. Schools were contacted to avail themselves to receive delivery up to 15h00. Deliveries continued through the weekend to schools that were opened for delivery. The remainder of the deliveries as well as delivery for outstanding stock were completed by 20 September 2012.
(d) Textbooks and workbooks were delivered to all the ten schools.
(e) Before delivery, learner numbers per Grade per subject were obtained from the school and these conversations recorded wherever possible
Schools visits for purposes of monitoring
(a) Purpose
- To verify information provided by schools in the court challenge
- To mitigate the circumstances that gave rise to the challenge
- To provide evidence of mischief in the challenge
(b) Schools visited and teams
(i) Greater Sekhukhuni District (S Geyer, S. Manna, L Munday and E Rabotapi)
- Laerskool Marblehall
- Esther Maleka Combined
- Laerskool Julian Muller
(ii) Mopani (P. Lesufi, D. Ngobeni and A. Matlhole)
- Hanyane Thomo High
- Rithlavile
(iii) Vhembe District (N Xulu and P. Sehlabelo)
- Jaji
- Lutandale
- Tshianani
(c) Findings
(i) Schools that received all books, (Lutandale Primary), but have indicated differently to Section 27.
(ii) Schools that received all books and are not supportive of litigation (Hanyani Thomo and Rithlavile)
(iii) Schools that received insufficient quantity of books due to escalation of numbersas a result of repeaters (Jaji) or books catering for one language (Afrikaans) and not the other (English) (Laerskool Julian Muller)
(iv) Schools that received books but felt they are not what they ordered/wrong titles (Humbelani Secondary School);
(v) Those that received some books but have shortages in other areas (Tshianane Secondary School: Life Orientation and Life Sciences),and Esther Maleka;
(vi) Those that did not receive all textbooks but acknowledge having signed the delivery order for complete delivery by mistake (Rithlavile).They subsequently sent a letter indicating the mistake.
(vii) Those that reported shortages but had no evidence or sense of the quantities (Mashiyane) and ;
(viii) Those that did not receive any books at all (Laerskool Marble Hall)
(ix) It is also clear that schools were reporting shortages, not on the basis of what was delivered as per Provincial Circular 124 but on the basis of their initial orders. It is unclear whether this is deliberate or genuine confusion.
(x) Delivery of Workbooks in Grade 10 specifically continues to be a challenge in some of the schools. Again, it is a misunderstanding of what Workbooks should have been delivered.
(xi) Some of the schools did not regard the Shuttleworth Books (Siyavula) Mathematics and Physical Science Grades 10 to 12as text books, therefore in spite of delivery, reported it as non-delivery.
Resolution of the outstanding back orders for shortages
As at 14 September 2012, there were still textbooks that were outstanding on back orders due to unavailability of stock from publishers. These were reported to the North Gauteng High Court and the Court decision was that these books be delivered to the relevant schools by 12 October 2012.
Stock shortages
| Grade | Title | Publisher | Stock Variation |
| GR 10 | Mathematical Literacy | Clever Books | 4320 |
| GR 10 | Geography | Macmillan South Africa | 1534 |
| GR 10 | History | Maskew Miller Longman | 3745 |
| GR 10 | Life Sciences | Maskew Miller Longman | 24314 |
| GR 10 | Life Orientation | Vivlia Publishers & Booksellers | 54987 |
Remedial for shortages
- Mechanical Technology and Visual Arts textbooks previously unavailable were sourced and delivered to the central warehouse in Polokwane on 20 September 2012 for delivery to schools.
- 55,000 Life Orientation delivered to central warehouse on 28 September 2012
- 10,000 Life Sciences from Maskew Miller Longman (MML) and 3745 History textbooks sourced, picked up and delivered to central warehouse on 4 October 2012
- 4320 Maths Literacy, 1534 Geography and remaining 14,314 Life Sciences, were sourced from alternate publishers and delivered to the central warehouse on 5 October 2012.
- Pick and pack of the above stock took place over weekend for delivery to schools on 8 and 9 October 2012
Progress on delivery of back order shortages
- 160 Schools delivered on 8 October 2012
- 415 schools delivered by 10 October 2012
- Total quantity of 81,705 textbooks moved out of the central warehouse by 7h00 on 9 October2012 for delivery to schools.
| Subject | Schools | QTY |
| Accounting | 35 | 760 |
| Afrikaans Fal | 2 | 6 |
| Agricultural Science | 10 | 165 |
| Business Studies | 3 | 64 |
| Civil Technology | 3 | 179 |
| Cat | 1 | 18 |
| Economics | 2 | 11 |
| Electrical Technology | 1 | 49 |
| Engineering Graphic Design | 1 | 6 |
| English | 43 | 331 |
| English Home Language | 1 | 118 |
| Geography | 112 | 1562 |
| History | 77 | 4432 |
| IsiZulu Home Language | 4 | 10 |
| Life Orientation | 370 | 43757 |
| Life Sciences | 354 | 24570 |
| Mathematical Literacy | 133 | 4468 |
| Mathematics | 1 | 75 |
| Mechanical Technology | 4 | 150 |
| Physical Science | 2 | 40 |
| Sepedi Home Language | 12 | 667 |
| Tourism | 2 | 217 |
| Xitsonga Home Language | 3 | 50 |
| Total | 81705 | |
Conclusion
As of 11 October 2012, all outstanding learning and teaching support materials have been delivered to schools in the Limpopo Province. The Department will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that everything is indeed fine. The call centre will remain operational and some delivery companies will be retained for any emergency that may arise.
2. Development and implementation of the catch up plan for grades 10 and 12
The progress report is based on the approach the department has adopted and articulated in the catch up plan presented to the North Gauteng High Court earlier this year.
Planning
- Meetings with teacher unions were held to solicit participation and support for the plan
- A task team was constituted for the implementation of the catch up programme for grade 10 learners;
- The terms of reference were developed and agreed upon.
- On 6 September 2012, the Administrator released Circular No. 158 of 2012, to district senior managers; circuit managers; curriculum advisors; deputy managers-governance; secondary schools principals; and teachers. The purpose of the circular was to outline the catch up programme for grade 10 learners in Limpopo.
- A DBE schedule for monitoring the implementation of the catch up plan was drawn up.
Progress report on catch –up plan
(a) Progress on the development of the subject guides
In the Plan, the department indicated that Subject Guides would be developed and provided to schools that have not covered Term 1 and/or Term 2 subject content would then infuse this content in the guides in their day to day teaching.
Subject Guides were developed by Curriculum Advisors who are Subject Specialists located in the Curriculum Branch. The Guides focus in the main on new content identified in each subject. In addition, content that has been identified by teachers as difficult in term 1 and 2 has been factored in.
Although Grade 10 CAPS compliant Mathematics and Physical Science Textbooks were provided to all schools, the Department has also developed Subject Guides for these subjects based on the analysis of the information provided by schools where teachers identified topics which they find difficult to teach even though they have textbooks.
It should also be noted that although content in some subjects has not changed at all (e.g. Life Sciences, Engineering Graphics and Design etc.), the department has developed guides for these subjects for Term 1 and 2 based on teacher information which identified challenging topics in these subjects. Grades 10, 11 and 12 enrolment figures over the past years in content subjects also played a significant role in the development of the guides.
The following are subject guides that were developed:
| Mathematics | Business Studies |
| Mathematical Literacy | Economics |
| Physical Sciences | Accounting |
| Life Sciences | Geography |
| Agricultural Science | History |
| Information Technology | Tourism |
| Computer Application Technology | Life Orientation |
| Engineering Graphics and Design | |
| Civil Technology | |
| Mechanical Technology | |
| Electrical Technology | |
The guides were quality assured and this process was completed by 03 August 2012. Printing and delivery of the guides to districts took place before the end of August 2012.
b) Extra tuition
The Department of Basic Education established a task team comprising of Limpopo Departmental Officials and Teacher Unions to co-ordinate and monitor the implementation of the Grade 10 catch-up plan in the Province.
The Grade 10 catch-up implementation plan is based on the information received from schools and an analysis of the NCS (Grade 10 to 12) and the NCS-CAPS (Grade R-12) content done by Subject Specialists in the Limpopo province.
A circular was sent to schools informing them of the plans for the Catch-up classes and the subjects identified for the Spring classes.
Radio programmes developed by Mindset are being broadcast (Sekgosese radio, Greater Tzaneen radio, Mohodi FM, Moletsi, Univen) and will continue until 18 November. The programme provides revision for Mathematics, Physical Sciences and English First Additional Language. There is also a 1 hour per week slot on Fridays providing teacher support.
The Limpopo Department requested schools to prioritise the subjects identified and to prepare programmes and timetables for the learners for the duration of the week 1-5 October 2012. The district offices received copies of programmes and timetables from schools.
The Limpopo Department conducted face to face teaching from 1-5 October 2012 during the spring recess for the grade 10 learners. The programme targeted all high schools with grade 10 learners, a total of 993 high schools in Limpopo.
The Limpopo Department has distributed grade 10 CD subject guides for all subjects, except languages, based on Term1 and Term 2 content gaps, to districts. The subject guides developed were printed for use during the week of the face to face teaching. The main focus has been on uncompleted term 1 and 2 content which could not be done due to unavailability of the NCS-CAPS textbooks.
A monitoring tool and schedule was developed by the task team. Limpopo Education Department officials spent a day in each school and each school was monitored at least once during the week.
The national monitoring team targeted 124 schools throughout the province to monitor the catch up plan for grade 10 in all 5 districts. Each of the officials visited an average of two schools per day for the four days.
The National Associations of School Governing Bodies (SGB) participated in the monitoring with departmental officials. At the NCF meeting of 15 August 2012, the Director-General had invited NCF members to participate in the monitoring of the catch up programme and the distribution of textbooks in Limpopo.
Mr Visagie, Mr Mashakoe, Mr Lekata and Mr Matakanye joined DBE officials in monitoring the Catch Up Programme. DBE officials led the monitoring with members of the associations in the background. The monitoring tool was completed by the departmental officials with SGB members verifying the information. Members of associations were deployed in different districts as follows:
- Mr Visagie – Tzaneen area in Mopani;
- Mr Mashakoe – Greater Sekhukhune district; and
- Mr Matakanye and Mr Lekata – Giyani area in Mopani
The report of the national monitoring teams:
a) the majority of schools that were visited participated in the catch up programme;
b) the level of learner attendance was varied;
c) some school principals encouraged learner attendance by providing meals;
d) the attendance by targeted teachers was good, although the team encountered some resistance from some teachers who took issue with the fact that the spring school was conducted during their vacation time;
e) all schools visited had spring school time tables as instructed by the Administrator;
f) the monitoring by provincial and district officials was visible in all districts; and
g) many schools indicated that they would follow up the spring school programme with extra lessons after school hours during the term.
