ALMOST 1.5-million pupils in Limpopo schools could not have meals and more than 10,000 were left stranded without transport on the first day of schools reopening yesterday.

Learning and teaching for grade 10 pupils could also not take place after the provincial department of education failed to order books in time for the newly introduced Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement for pupils in grades 1, 2, 3 and 10 this year.

The Limpopo department of education said yesterday 21319 pupils benefitted from the scholar transport system and 1,596,534 received breakfast and lunch at school every day.

Department of Basic Education spokesman Panyaza Lesufi said: "It is only work books for grade 10 that were not supplied to schools. The provincial department has commissioned R700-million to purchase additional books for the new curriculum.

"But we had to communicate the budget with Treasury so that we are sure of the number of the books and the budget needed before we place an order."

Lesufi said books should have been ordered between July and September last year, long before the department was put under administration.

The Limpopo department of education, together with health, roads and transport, public works and the treasury, were put under administration by the national government owing to allegations of poor financial management and irregular procurement processes.