SABC News reported that over eight schools around the Ratlou Municipality were without stationery for days since the reopening of schools. It was also reported that the Grade 10 to 12 pupils were resorting to using loose paper to write on, ripping pages out of old exercise books to share among themselves. 

The departmental spokesperson Elias Malindi dismissed the allegations of the shortage of stationery at schools in the Ratlou Local Municipality. He further explained that on the day the media visited the schools in Ratlou, trucks delivering stationery were busy offloading at different schools.

“The North West Department of Education wishes to dismiss all the allegations that learners in the Ratlou area are writing on pieces of paper, as alleged by the SABC on Tuesday 24 January 2023. The department last year ordered textbooks and stationery from the manufacturers. It was delivered across the province long before the reopening of schools. Some schools received 100% of stationery while some had a few shortages for certain grades,” he said.  

Malindi also detailed that schools with shortages managed to share stationery with other learners while waiting for the delivery. 

Meanwhile, Education MEC Viola Motsumi said the department views the reports as an attempt to cause sensation where there is no crisis at all. She confirmed that all schools received stationery since late last year and delivery is still being done where there are shortages. Motsumi further stated that the department will continue to monitor areas where there are shortages and they are addressing them.

OFM News