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On 4 May 2012 SECTION27 launched an urgent application against the Minister of Basic Education and the Limpopo Department of Education in relation to their complete failure to procure and deliver textbooks for learners throughout Limpopo. Learners have gone without textbooks for five months this school year.

Despite resources being available, learners throughout Limpopo have not received a single new textbook this year. Learners in grades R, 1, 2, 3 and 10, who began a new curriculum in January, have still not received the support materials necessary to learn.

As a result, and after failed attempts to get the Department to fulfil this basic right, SECTION27, together with a secondary school in Thomo Village and the parent of two primary school learners in Thohoyandou, has applied to the High Court for an order directing the Department of Basic Education and the Limpopo Department of Education to:

Provide textbooks to learners throughout Limpopo by no later than May 31; and
Put in place a “catch-up” plan to provide additional classes to learners so that they are able to make up the curriculum they have missed due to the lack of textbooks.
 

The Department of Basic Education and the Limpopo Department of Education have indicated that they will be opposing this application. However, at the time we issued this statement on Friday 11 May2012, they had not yet filed their answering affidavits.

The case will be heard in the North Gauteng High Court on Monday 14 May 2012.