Section27 disputes textbooks ad
2012-10-08 19:45
Johannesburg - The lobby group Section27 has disputed a department of basic education advert regarding the Limpopo textbook saga.
It said it did not wish to comment on the ethics of the advert, but had to correct some of its contents.
The department published an advert titled 'Facts about the Limpopo textbooks High Court ruling: Don't be misled' in a number of Sunday newspapers.
It was a response to the order handed down by the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Thursday in the matter between Section27 and the minister of basic education.
The advert read: "The department of education wishes to state that the decision by Section27 to litigate on the perceived non-delivery of Grade 10 textbooks, which were reported as shortages by schools in Limpopo, was unnecessary and a waste of valuable time and resources."
Section27 said the department admitted in September that the delivery of textbooks was still incomplete.
"It is for this reason that the North Gauteng High Court [in Pretoria] granted a third court order imposing a new deadline for complete delivery," it said.
In the advert, the department said the court did not find that it was at fault.
"In fact, the court did not attribute fault to the department for the incomplete nature of the delivery of books to Limpopo," the advert read.
Section27 said the high court did not state that there was no fault on the part of the department.
"[Judge Jody Kollapen] expressly made no finding as to fault," it said.
The lobby group said it had sent four letters to the department of basic education asking for information regarding the textbook delivery and the catch-up plan. It had also written letters to the minister and director-general requesting meetings.
The department said in its advert that it was expected that all deliveries of Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement aligned textbooks would happen by 15 December.
Section27 said the department was required to file an affidavit with the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on 31 October and again on 15 December.
If the textbooks were not delivered by 15 December, the department would have to give the court an affidavit detailing the steps it would take to make sure the books were delivered before the start of the 2013 school year.
"Section27’s only interest is in the delivery of quality basic education for all learners," it said.
- SAPA