Consultation process on one core textbook begins

© Galina Peshkova – 123RF.com

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said the one core textbook per grade in future is one of the ten non-negotiable rules of government.

Minister Motshekga said this was a resolution taken in 2012, that all learners across the education system must be provided with uniform and standardised textbooks.

"The move towards core textbooks per subject and grade has already been recommended by the Council of Education Ministers (CEM)," she said on Wednesday.

The roundtable discussion is a consultative process with basic education sector stakeholders before the implementation of the one core textbook for learners in public schools.

Minister Motshekga said the roundtable, which was attended by representatives from publishing companies and associations and stakeholders in the basic education sector, is intended to allay fears regarding the one core textbook agenda.

The minister said the main fear levelled against LTSM was that many publishing companies will close and thousands of jobs will be lost.

"These claims are unfounded because the number of textbooks to be printed would be the same, regardless of the number of titles listed in the National Catalogue. The public must also take note that the department is well aware that some of the printing is done outside of the country," she said.

Supporting material

She said learners have traditionally been using one core textbook and will continue to do so.

However, the minister said this does not mean that the leaner will use only one textbook, but rather have supplementary materials.

"This effectively means that the DBEs plan is misunderstood and we hope to allay some fear in the affected groups. Over and above the provision of one core textbook, the department is striving towards ensuring that there are enough supplementary and reference material to support the leaner," said Minister Motshekga.

She said the DBE will develop a catalogue for supplementary and reference material. She also said that the department plans to increase access to libraries in schools and ensuring that every new school has a library and the necessary LTSM in the library.