Teacher unions have threatened to protest against the Eastern Cape Education Department due to the non-delivery of learning materials.
South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) and the National Professional Teachers' Organisation of South Africa (NAPTOSA) called for the procurement of learner support materials to be decentralised to avoid any further delays.
Vukuhambe Special Schools, in East London, is one school that has experienced late deliveries of learning materials.
A concerned parent of one of the learners at the school said that the schools have always expected the parents to buy stationery from their very own pockets and it has never been delivered.
Teacher unions believed that incompetency is at the centre of the non-delivery at the schools.
In a SABC News live interview, SADTU Provincial General Secretary Chris Mdingi said:
We think all we can do now is to embark on a big action that has never been seen before if the authorities are not heeding to the call because the quarter is gonna soon come to an end.
Naptosa Eastern Cape CEO Loyiso Mbinda shared the very same sentiment, added that this will hinder the teachers from performing their duties because there’s no stationery for the learners.
Eastern Cape Education responded to the unions’ concern over this matter by saying that the department is working very hard, making sure that all schools will receive their learning materials.
