A MASSIVE textbooks shortage was exposed in Mpumalanga at the weekend.
Enrica Mkhonto, 13, a pupil at Panorama Secondary School in Graskop, told the provincial legislature during the third annual Nelson Mandela Children's Parliament in Nelspruit on Saturday that their school was experiencing a dire shortage of textbooks in technology and economic managementscience.
Enrica said this severely affected grades 8s and 9s.
"I would like to indicate that as a pupil, being allocated your own textbook is but a nightmare," she said.
"In our school, which is under the provincial government leadership, there is a high shortage of textbooks. We have a group of three learners per textbook. This to me is not a way of providing quality education which the provincial government is boasting about."
Enrica said the department was also failing to attract teachers for mathematics and science. Another pupil, Joshua Mkhonza, asked: "What systems are in place to ensure that the procured textbooks reach the right people at the right time. For example, the Limpopo education department procured enough textbooks, but the books never reached the right people."
Zwelihle Khumalo, a pupil at KI Twala Secondary School in Secunda, said the government should work harder to provide school sports and infrastructure.
"This will not only help children but communities to unite and fight over obstacles such as dropping out, drug abuse and violence. Over many years our brothers and sisters' desires to participate in lifting the country through sports have not been fulfilled."
Pupils also raised concerns about the high pregnancy rate.
MEC for education Reginah Mhaule said in the first quarter, more than 1500 pupils had fallen pregnant. Pupils said the department was not doing enough to fight the scourge.
Education department spokesman Jasper Zwane said the department would talk to the school to establish if it was indeed true that there were textbook shortages.
"The department has procured all textbooks which were ordered by the school for the grades," Zwane said.
"Schools were also requested to place orders for top-up textbooks, which were delivered in February and March."
Presenting the department's budget speech in March, Mhaule said about R500000-million had been set aside for textbooks and stationery. - mashabas@sowetan.co.za
Another 'shortage' of textbooks
A MASSIVE textbooks shortage was exposed in Mpumalanga at the weekend.
Enrica Mkhonto, 13, a pupil at Panorama Secondary School in Graskop, told the provincial legislature during the third annual Nelson Mandela Children's Parliament in Nelspruit on Saturday that their school was experiencing a dire shortage of textbooks in technology and economic managementscience.
Enrica said this severely affected grades 8s and 9s.
"I would like to indicate that as a pupil, being allocated your own textbook is but a nightmare," she said.
"In our school, which is under the provincial government leadership, there is a high shortage of textbooks. We have a group of three learners per textbook. This to me is not a way of providing quality education which the provincial government is boasting about."
Enrica said the department was also failing to attract teachers for mathematics and science. Another pupil, Joshua Mkhonza, asked: "What systems are in place to ensure that the procured textbooks reach the right people at the right time. For example, the Limpopo education department procured enough textbooks, but the books never reached the right people."
Zwelihle Khumalo, a pupil at KI Twala Secondary School in Secunda, said the government should work harder to provide school sports and infrastructure.
"This will not only help children but communities to unite and fight over obstacles such as dropping out, drug abuse and violence. Over many years our brothers and sisters' desires to participate in lifting the country through sports have not been fulfilled."
Pupils also raised concerns about the high pregnancy rate.
MEC for education Reginah Mhaule said in the first quarter, more than 1500 pupils had fallen pregnant. Pupils said the department was not doing enough to fight the scourge.
Education department spokesman Jasper Zwane said the department would talk to the school to establish if it was indeed true that there were textbook shortages.
"The department has procured all textbooks which were ordered by the school for the grades," Zwane said.
"Schools were also requested to place orders for top-up textbooks, which were delivered in February and March."
Presenting the department's budget speech in March, Mhaule said about R500000-million had been set aside for textbooks and stationery. - mashabas@sowetan.co.za
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