The Eastern Cape’s exclusion from a national project to deliver stationery has cost both thousands of children and the taxpayer dearly.
The details were spelt out by Basic Education (DBE) Deputy Minister Enver Surty to the national portfolio committee on basic education when he delivered the department’s 2016 strategic and annual performance plan last week.
The Daily Dispatch has seen a transcript of the committee’s discussion in a report released by parliament this week.
Surty said: “Through the centralised procurement we have been saying we will be able to save millions of rands and indeed we have saved millions of rands.
“When we save money, the money does not go to the national department, it stays with the province, which means it’s their saving which will utilise ... for other programmes.
“The Eastern Cape decided to go on its own and have paid more than other provinces have done. We are not going to allow that to happen again.
“We cannot be denying Eastern Cape children equipment and stationery in sound quality. We are saying we are going to make an intervention. We want to give you that assurance.”
Surty said material bought by the province was of poor quality and not always the right thing, such as normal calculators instead of scientific ones.
DBE spokesman Elijah Mhlanga said National Treasury (NT) and the DBE had embarked on a process to set up “transversal” contracts for stationery.
“The transversal contracts are meant to ensure efficiencies and cost-effectiveness. The contracts are allocated per province.
“In 2015 the DBE and NT requested provinces to participate in the transversal contract for stationery, especially those provinces that did not have contracts in place at the time.
“It should be noted that participating in transversal contracts by provinces is a voluntary process. Eastern Cape had already had a contract in place at the time and could not participate in two contracts.”
Mhlanga said the stationery provided for by contract was a minimum stationery pack per grade that a learner could use for the year.
The stationery is delivered annually – currently to the Free State, Gauteng and Northern Cape provinces.
Two companies are appointed for these provinces.
Material includes pencil sharpners, rulers, pencils, blue ballpoint pens, and glue for wood and paper.
Mhlanga said Surty was in the province three weeks ago with a team from DBE.
“They continue to work together to resolve all outstanding matters,” he said.
Comment from provincial education department spokesman Loyiso Pulumani had not been received at the time of writing.
EC stationery plan hurt pupils – DBE
The details were spelt out by Basic Education (DBE) Deputy Minister Enver Surty to the national portfolio committee on basic education when he delivered the department’s 2016 strategic and annual performance plan last week.
The Daily Dispatch has seen a transcript of the committee’s discussion in a report released by parliament this week.
Surty said: “Through the centralised procurement we have been saying we will be able to save millions of rands and indeed we have saved millions of rands.
“When we save money, the money does not go to the national department, it stays with the province, which means it’s their saving which will utilise ... for other programmes.
“The Eastern Cape decided to go on its own and have paid more than other provinces have done. We are not going to allow that to happen again.
“We cannot be denying Eastern Cape children equipment and stationery in sound quality. We are saying we are going to make an intervention. We want to give you that assurance.”
Surty said material bought by the province was of poor quality and not always the right thing, such as normal calculators instead of scientific ones.
DBE spokesman Elijah Mhlanga said National Treasury (NT) and the DBE had embarked on a process to set up “transversal” contracts for stationery.
“The transversal contracts are meant to ensure efficiencies and cost-effectiveness. The contracts are allocated per province.
“In 2015 the DBE and NT requested provinces to participate in the transversal contract for stationery, especially those provinces that did not have contracts in place at the time.
“It should be noted that participating in transversal contracts by provinces is a voluntary process. Eastern Cape had already had a contract in place at the time and could not participate in two contracts.”
Mhlanga said the stationery provided for by contract was a minimum stationery pack per grade that a learner could use for the year.
The stationery is delivered annually – currently to the Free State, Gauteng and Northern Cape provinces.
Two companies are appointed for these provinces.
Material includes pencil sharpners, rulers, pencils, blue ballpoint pens, and glue for wood and paper.
Mhlanga said Surty was in the province three weeks ago with a team from DBE.
“They continue to work together to resolve all outstanding matters,” he said.
Comment from provincial education department spokesman Loyiso Pulumani had not been received at the time of writing.
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