Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Textbooks, and textbooks

It is with an increasing sense of dismay that I've watched the textbook debacle* unfold. In addition to that particular scandal, there is another textbook scandal brewing - one about the selection of authorises textbooks. In this scandal, it would seem that there is yet more corruption at the highest levels. I say this because of the lack of transparency regarding the issue of the process of the selection of textbooks that occurs in Pretoria.

I have chosen not to comment on it thus far, because I felt that this was a conversation that needed to be held through the proper channels. However, those proper channels appear to have failed us. Thus, I have decided to go public. Following a meeting with my academic head today, I have been given the go ahead to contact the papers, and to forward to them the various emails I have seen/ received/ written to the WCED. 


Suffice to say, after I had only just begun to have my faith in the provincial education department restored following a few really positive steps, my opinion of them has hit rock bottom again because of the manner in which they have handled (or failed to handle) this situation. It would seem that a leopard really can't change its spots. 


I'll be posting all the details over on my education blog - nimming - so if you want to follow the saga, you can head over there for more. (I will be posting as the story unfolds.)
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*For the non-Saffa's, there are schools in Limpopo province who STILL don't have textbooks - and this is the start of the 3rd term. Textbooks have been found dumped in the veld, and, reportedly, burnt in a warehouse - this after several missed deadlines to deliver them over the mid-year/ winter holidays to schools.

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