Limpopo textbooks: Deliver or resign

Desireë van der Walt

 

The DA has given an ultimatum to Limpopo Education MEC Dickson Masemola and the Department’s national administrators to present a plan to get textbooks to learners by the end of next week or resign.

Desiree van der Walt, DA Limpopo Education spokesperson, said in a media release that the comments by Panyaza Lesufi, Education Department spokesperson, that “there was nothing he could do about” textbook shortages in Limpopo is not acceptable. Where the DA governs we provide a textbook for every child for all core subjects in their grade. We do this on time, every year.

She continued by saying that Mr Lesufi seems to think that it is fine for Limpopo learners to supposedly wait until 2014 for the Department to provide textbooks for every child. What are they supposed to do in the meantime? Government officials are paid by the public to know what to do, particularly when we have had a recurring problem over years such as the textbook saga in this province.

In fact in a reply to the DA’s parliamentary question in the National Assembly, Minister Motshekga said the procurement of textbooks has always been the competence of the provincial department notwithstanding section 100 administration.

It is increasingly clear that the genesis of this problem has been ineptitude at the provincial department of education. MEC Masemola cannot hide behind national administration.

He owes the people of Limpopo a concrete plan by Friday, 17 May, to get these textbooks to learners. He must act urgently and can no longer keep silent.