No maths books for over 500 schools

Anxiety as Limpopo pupils sit for mid-year exams

An organisation representing school governing bodies (SGBs) has called on parents in Limpopo to demand answers from the provincial education department amid reports that over 500 schools are running short of maths textbooks.

Yesterday, general secretary of the National Association of School Governing Bodies (NASGB) Matakanye Matakanya said affected schools would struggle to cope due to the reported shortages.

“Parents must go to the department and demand answers. What are their children going to write without something to refer to? What will happen if they fail?” Matakanya asked.

This is after the provincial department apparently made a presentation to the portfolio committee on education confirming that 531 schools did not have the Siyavula mathematics textbooks for grades 10 and 11. Some schools are also yet to get Tsonga textbooks for Grade 12.

Matakanya said the department had failed to conduct proper monitoring, adding that schools were under pressure as mid-year examinations were set to start soon.

Spokesman for the provincial department Naledzani Rasila said they would meet with two service providers responsible for printing the materials today to find out what led to schools not receiving those books.

However, Sadtu provincial secretary Matome Raphasha said they were only aware of issues relating to literature and not mathematics textbooks.

He said in instances where there were shortages, teachers had to improvise by making photocopies.