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The Eastern Cape Department of Education (ECDoE) has done it again, as about 99% 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 (LTSM) 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 October 15, 2008.

According to the Chief Education Specialist in the LTSM section Noxolo Gwarube, the LTSM 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 Gwarhube 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 4th to the 10th of this month but because of challenges encountered deliveries started on the 11th of 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 the 15th of February 2010.qualification.

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Posted by Xolani - 14:57 on 16 February 2010

From the days when we were in COSAS in the 1980, among other things, free books is what we fought for and we won against a hostile apartheid regime. It was painfully disgusting to learn through media about the sorry state of schools. I am thrilled by the reports that 99% of school books have been delivered - where they belong. This is what I expect from my government. May we speedily work towards building schools in new residential areas (RDP). The benefit and jubilation of being given a house by the state, has in some cases led to learners' loss of school due to no schools in the new residential areas. Amandla!