By Thapelo Molefe
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has maintained the suspension of the new Foundation Phase National Catalogue for Grades 1 to 3, saying the decision is necessary to protect the 2027 academic year while concerns over the procurement process are addressed.
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) said on Wednesday that the existing catalogue of previously approved Foundation Phase learning materials would remain available to provinces and schools for procurement for the 2027 school year.
The decision follows an independent investigation into the development, evaluation and implementation of the new catalogue.
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According to the department, the investigation identified material areas of non-compliance, governance weaknesses and potential risks relating to procurement and financial management.
“My first responsibility is to protect our learners and ensure that schools are ready for the 2027 academic year. I will not allow uncertainty around a procurement process to become uncertainty in our classrooms,” Gwarube said.
The minister has instructed the department to continue with the legal verification and rectification of the new catalogue.
The DBE said the legal implications of the investigation’s findings and the appropriate remedies still require independent legal advice. Gwarube has therefore enlisted the State Attorney to obtain advice from Senior Counsel.
The department said the interim arrangement would allow provinces and schools to secure previously approved learning materials while the new catalogue undergoes legal scrutiny and remediation.
“The investigation has identified material problems that cannot be ignored. At the same time, millions of children cannot have their education placed on hold while those findings are properly addressed,” Gwarube said.
“We can and must do both: protect the integrity of the process and ensure that schools have the materials they need.”
Provincial education departments and schools with procurement powers will remain responsible for purchasing the materials in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
The DBE said it would coordinate with provinces and other stakeholders to ensure that ordering and distribution timelines were not disrupted ahead of the 2027 academic year.
The department said the decision was also intended to provide certainty to teachers, who need clarity about the learning and teaching support materials available to them.
It said delays in procurement could affect teachers’ ability to plan effectively, while parents and taxpayers had a direct interest in ensuring that public funds were spent responsibly and transparently.
The DBE said the arrangement would remain in place while the legal processes surrounding the new catalogue were completed.
