Mpuma delivers 99.7% of textbooks for 2013

Mhaule reported that textbooks for Grades 4, 5, 6 and 11 have already been procured and 99.7% dispatched and delivered to schools.

"It is our wish that preparations for 2013 are concluded on time this year so that when schools reopen teaching and learning should commence without any hassles," said Mhaule.

She said the department was pulling out all the stops to ensure that by the end of this week all schools had received textbooks for all grades.

All stationery valued at R80.7 million had already been delivered to every school in the province.

Meanwhile, department spokesperson Jasper Zwane said the provincial treasury had allocated the department R40 million for the procurement of top up material for Grades 1, 2, 3, 10 and 12.

"A process has already been put in motion for fulfilling this mandate and it is anticipated that these top ups will be received by schools not later than March 2013," said Zwane.

He explained that Grades 7, 8 and 9 still had textbooks from this financial year.

"The lifespan of a textbook is four years and these other grades still have books that are usable. We are only topping up those that needed extra books in line with their needs," he said.

He urged schools to collect textbooks from pupils at the end of the year, and also report on matters relating to learner teacher support material during a 10-day snap survey in January.