KZN Education confident about allocations for learning and teaching support materials for 2024

Durban — With the 2023 academic year being wrapped up, the provincial Department of Education says it is confident that it will be ready for the following academic year.

The department’s media relations manager, Sihle Mlotshwa, said funds were allocated to S21 C schools for the purchase of textbooks and stationery for 2024. Mlotshwa said schools were asked to indicate prospective order values, and funds were prioritised in terms of these inputs.

“We are confident that all teaching and learning will commence from the first day of the school calendar.”

He said that although funds were made available on November 30, the department had ensured that all procurement processes were completed by schools well before then.

“The department also issued directives for all orders to be placed with schools’ service providers and expect that all deliveries have been made to schools. The transfer of funds merely deals with settlement of accounts for goods already delivered,” he said.

Provincial secretary for the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) Nomarashiya Caluza said that they envisioned a situation that was different from this current academic year.

“This year schools did not receive their allocations on time, such that it was only after the march we had in October that some payments were made. As for Sec 21 schools, the department must stop the unilateral decision of wanting to take away function C which allows schools to buy for themselves using money given to them by the department.

“Even this year, for 2024, we see that there are schools that the department is deliberately delaying payments/allocations.

“Some schools have not received the outstanding allocation, and even though the department told principals of such schools to put orders with their providers, principals are now scared because of the failures of the department which has caused them to be faced with angry providers,” she said.

Caluza said that the department ought to prioritise the activities of the classroom regarding teaching and learning, including the availability of teachers.

She further called on the department to devise new methods of dealing with crime in schools.

Vee Gani, chairperson of the Parents Association in KwaZulu-Natal, said he was sceptical about the department’s claim.

“I do not believe they are referring to all schools. There are a number of schools that have not received their allocations, while some received part of their allocations. Our concern is that when school starts next year, they must be in a position to kick off on the first day.”

WhatsApp your views on this story to 071 485 7995.

Daily News