NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 

FOR WRITTEN REPLY 
QUESTION 1679 
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 22/06/2012 
(INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 19/2012) 

Mrs A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education: 

(1) Whether all provinces have been provided with funding to cover the cost of textbooks for the 2013-14 financial year; if not, (a> what is the position in this regard and (b) which provinces do not have funding; if so, (i) what is the cost of textbooks in respect of each province and (ii) what are the further relevant details; 

(2) what steps does she intend taking to avert a shortage of textbooks in provinces with insufficient funding to cover the cost of these books? NW2O2OE

Answer 

1(a) arid (b) Yes, The table below indicates the budget allocation for the Learner Teacher Support Materiai that includes texthooks and stationery for the Provincial Education Departments. The Eastern Cape budget includes only the non- section 21 schools. The section 21 school's budgets are included in the transfer payments to schools as these schools procure books. The budget for Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and North West for Special schools is also included in the transfer payments to schools. 
In the case of Limpopo, the Department has met with National Treasury and treasury has made the funds available via the Limpopo provincial Treasury for the procurement of textbooks for that province for 2013. The Department has initiated the process to procure and ensure the delivery of textbooks before the end of 2012, in preparation for the beginning of the 2013 school year. 

2. The Department of Basic Education (DBE), in its efforts to avert the shortage of textbooks in schools, has taken the following steps:

• The National Catalogue which the DBE develops is aimed at maximising the benefits of economies of scale as it provides five (5) different price bands for textbooks. When provinces consolidate their orders centrally, they stand a chance to get textbooks at the lowest possible price. Moreover, the Catalogue lists books from cheapest to most expensive, encouraging schools to buy the cheapest book as all books on the catalogue are of the same quality and thereby making a saving. 
• The DBE is auditing shortages of textbooks for Grade 12 learners in underperforrming schools and will supply those schools with textbooks. 
• To save costs for schools, especially in eases where there is insufficient funding, the DBE has supplied Grade 10 learners with Siyavula Maths and Science books. 
• The DBE also supplies workbooks to schools in the following areas: 

a) Languages for learners in Grades 1-6; 
b) Life skills for learners in Grades 1-3; and 
c) Mathematics for learners in Grades 1-9. 

Issued by Parliament, September 24 2012

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