LIMPOPO – In a desperate attempt to underplay the textbook delivery problem in Limpopo, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) yesterday (31 March) claimed that all schools have received all the textbooks they needed, the DA said in a media statement.
The DBE is however lying. There are many schools in the Limpopo province that have not received the books they need.
The DA are aware of 47 schools that have not received all the books they need. The schools are from all over the province and they include high schools and primary schools. Almost all subjects and all grades are affected between the schools. In most cases, the schools need 50-500 books each.
We as the DA, have been informed by the schools that they are under severe pressure to not reveal their problems to the media and the public. We are therefore not able to make the list public, as principles fear losing their jobs by going public with textbook problems.
The DBE is doing everything in its power to conceal the true extent of the problem. Principals are being threatened and blatantly false statements are being released to the media.
The fact is that there are a large number of schools that have not received all the books they need and the DBE is refusing to acknowledge this.
This week, the DA will start to take steps to resolve the problem. The DBE has failed to deliver the textbooks and have ignored all correspondence from them on this issue, so they will take matters into their own hands and start delivering the books themselves.
For more Media Enquiries contact Jacques Smalle, the DA Limpopo Leader at 083 392 3334.
