NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES

ORAL REPLY
QUESTION 66
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 30/04/2013
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 10/2013)

Mr M J R de Villiers (DA-WC) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) Whether the Provincial Departments of Education have delivered all textbooks that have been ordered by the (a) primary and (b) secondary schools before the end of the first term in 2013; if not, what will she do to address this problem;

(2) whether the Provincial Departments of Education have informed the relevant schools before the end of the first term of the delays regarding this matter; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details? CO200E

REPLY

(1)  (a) (b) As at 5 April 2013 the delivery statistics from provinces for textbooks to both primary and secondary schools is as indicated on the table below. In provinces where delivery is not 100%, plans are in place to remedy the situation.

In some instances, publishers were not able to deliver the ordered textbooks on time and provinces have had to redirect orders to other publishers. The Terms of Reference guiding the development of the national catalogue is clear that if publishers fail to deliver, the DBE has the right to impose sanctions against the publisher. The DBE is in the process of instituting sanctions against defaulting publishers.

(2)  The DBE is aware that the affected schools in provinces are being assisted by the respective provinces. There is regular contact between the affected schools and the provinces. In some provinces available stock is being used to address the shortages.

Issued by Parliament, May 9 2013

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