SECTION27 Court Case postponed

Despite the Department of Basic Education and the Limpopo Department of Education indicating last week that they will oppose an urgent application launched by SECTION27 earlier this month, they are as yet to file their answering affidavit. The urgent application was to be heard in the North Gauteng High Court today. The attorney for SECTION27, Nikki Stein says that for the five months of this school year, the department has failed to deliver textbooks to learners in the Department. "SECTION27 launched an urgent application against the Minister of Basic Education and the Limpopo Department of Education in relation to their failure for five months this school year to procure and deliver textbooks for learners throughout Limpopo", says Stein. She adds that they have repeatedly engaged with the provincial government and the national government on the issue and most recently with the Head of the Intervention Team. "These parties have promised to order textboooks, but they have not honoured these promises. The academic year is almost halfway gone—yet learners in Grades R, 1, 2, 3 and 10 still do not have any textbooks. Textbooks for these learners have not been ordered and there is still no indication as to when final orders for textbooks will be made", says Stein. She says they will be asking the court to ensure that learners are provided with textbooks throughout Limpopo and to ensure that a catch up plan is put in place to provide additional classes to learners until their lost curriculum is recovered.According to Stein the application was set down for hearing today but was postponed to allow the respondents an opportunity to file answering affidavits. The matter will now be heard tomorrow at the North Gauteng High Court.