Court orders Eastern Cape Basic Education Department to deliver books to all public school by end of March

THE Makhanda High Court in the Eastern Cape has ordered the Eastern Cape Basic Education Department to deliver textbooks and stationery to all public schools in the province by March 31.

On Tuesday, Judge Murray Lowe handed down the matter.

This comes after the court rules in favour of the Non-Profit Organisation, Khula Development, in an urgent application to force the Department to provide textbooks and stationery to schools before the end of this month.

The Department said that the delay was caused by late payment to suppliers.

The department wanted to be given till the end of April for the delivery of textbooks to schools.

Attorney, Cecile van Schalkwyk from the Legal Resource Centre was heading the matter and representing Khula Development Forum.

The judge further added that the provincial department of education must submit affidavit before 30 September 2022 to show progress in planning to make sure that learners have textbooks in 2023.

“Every learner at every school in the Eastern Cape must be provided with the full complement of stationery and textbooks prior to the commencement of the 2023 schooling year,” the judge said.

The department indicated that they will only be able to deliver textbooks by end of April 2022.  LSR Senior Council Advocate Ngcukaitobi SC argued that this is not good enough, learners need textbooks immediately.

-Inside Education