Deputy Speaker, with regard to the first part of the hon Gina's question, indeed, the Department of Basic Education and Treasury are working very closely in relation to the procurement of textbooks for next year. Resources have been identified and set aside for that particular purpose. The necessary business process with regard to the procurement, acquisition and ordering of textbooks is on track.
With regard to the destruction of textbooks, or any book that belongs to the state, this amounts to malicious damage to property and it is criminal. If books are in such bad shape and certainly cannot be used, then there should be a proper system in terms whereof an assessment and evaluation should take place.
Firstly, my view - in fact, this has been the recommendation - is that all principals in each and every school, not only in Limpopo, but countrywide, must be notified that under no circumstances are they permitted to destroy books or hand them over for destruction. Secondly, the provincial departments of education must take central control for the monitoring and assessment of books that they wish to dispose of. Thirdly, wherever possible, libraries and resource centres must become the beneficiaries of textbooks that are not aligned to the curriculum. Lastly, only if a book is totally unusable, should it then be destroyed.
These are policy initiatives that should be taken into account, and we are going to have a comprehensive discussion on this matter at the next Council of Education Ministers' meeting to refine this particular position so that it is uniform, countrywide. I thank you.
Introduction of performance contracts for school principals and deputy principals
239. Mrs A T Lovemore (DA) asked the Minister of Basic Education:
Whether she intends to introduce performance contracts for (a) school principals and (b) deputy principals; if not, why not, in each case; if so, (i) when and (ii) what are the relevant details of the proposed contracts? NO2738E