Department of Education denies knowledge of dumped textbooks

MAKHADO (Louis Trichardt) – The Department of Education has denied any knowledge of text books found dumped at a brickyard at Mukhomi village near Malamulele on Monday.

The department said, however, that they were investigating to find out whether the books formed part of text books that were supposed to be delivered to schools a month ago. The department’s spokesperson, Pat Kgomo, said the books belonged to the brickyard owner. According to him, the department will try and trace the origins of the books.

The Malamulele SAPS spokesperson, W/O Apson Mabindani, said that the police had questioned a clerk at the brickyard. “The school text books found dumped were for mathematics and numeracy in Tshivenda, English novels and physical science from Grade 4-11,” he said.

The Department of Education came under scrutiny after it had failed to honour the June 25 deadline set by a high court to deliver outstanding text books to schools in the province. Human rights group Section 27 took the department to court to force them to deliver on their mandate. An investigation into the saga was also commissioned and this was headed by Prof Mary Metcalfe. Metcalfe found that there were more questions than answers and was unable to confirm if books were delivered to schools due to unavailability of delivery notes. – LiN News/Limpopo Mirror