Details of the Norms and Standards (N&S) allocation for your Section 21 school for the financial year extending from 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014 are available on the CEMIS. Schools can access them in the following way:

• Log on to the CEMIS.
• Select "Public Ordinary".
• Select your school.
• Click "Proceed". Point to the "Administration" menu item and click on "Norms and Standards Allocation ". Select "N&S 2013".
• Print the page.

Your attention is drawn to the following:

According to paragraph 109 of the NNSSF, the provincial education departments must use the national poverty distribution table (poverty table) to determine how the targeted amounts are to be allocated in each province. The amended table below indicates the percentage of learners in the Western Cape that may be placed in the various national quintiles (NQs).

Schools will receive their N&S allocation for the 2013/14 financial year in two instalments, namely 60% in April/May 2013 and 40% in November 2013. Section 21 schools must use their first transfer payment (60%), which will be made during April/May 2013, to purchase their 2014 learning and teaching support material (LTSM) so that it is available before the end of September 2013, and to pay for other expenses, as stipulated in paragraph 3.1 below. The second transfer payment (40%), which will be made during November 2013, must be used to cover appropriate school-related expenses up to the end of the State's financial year, i.e. 31 March 2014.

20% of the total N&S allocation for Section 21 schools that is paid over in April/May 2013 (see paragraph 2.1 above) must be reserved for expenditure previously covered by school fees. Schools will be informed of this amount in the N&S allocation letter. It must be borne in mind that this amount must sustain the school until April 2014, when the payment will be received for the next financial year.

It is suggested that schools divide their available allocation as follows among the various expenditure categories:

• 50% for LTSM orders for 2014, of which 10% should be targeted for library material (Each learner must have a textbook for each subject. The stock of school library material should be augmented annually until the total number of items reflects the minimum international standard of 10 items per learner. See paragraph 3.1.1 below for the list of items included under LTSM.)
• 24% for municipal services
  (However, schools may budget for a larger percentage if expenditure tendencies necessitate this.)
• 6% for maintenance
• 20% for local purchases

1. The Department of Basic Education defines LTSM as any material that supports and facilitates teaching and learning directly in the classroom or at home (homework). It includes the following:
   • Textbooks, readers, reference books, prescribed works, atlases and dictionaries
   • Workbooks
   • Posters, maps and wall charts
   • Educational board games
   • Library material (fiction and non-fiction), reference books, posters, and recordings on videos, DVDs, audio cassettes, CDs, CD-ROMs, multi-media, etc.
   • Computer software and licensing
   • Resource material for teachers, learners, classroom and library

2. Schools are required to use their full LTSM allocation to purchase LTSM that will enrich and strengthen the implementation of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) in their classes. Schools are therefore encouraged to use their LTSM allocation to purchase supplementary textbooks, prescribed works, atlases, dictionaries, workbooks, posters, maps, wall charts, educational board games, library material (fiction and non-fiction), reference books, recorded videos, DVDs, audio cassettes, CDs, CD-ROMs, computer software, and home economics and science laboratory equipment.

3. Subject to the following conditions, schools may assign less money to LTSM if
   • each learner in the school has a textbook for each subject and access to other LTSM resources;
   • the school has annually allocated 10% of the LTSM allocation for the purchasing of library material to augment the library stock and the total number of items in the library stock now constitutes the minimum international standard of 10 items per learner; and
   • if the governing body has taken a formal decision regarding this deviation. (This decision of the governing body regarding the budget, which must be submitted at a parents' meeting, must be explained and the amount spent per learner on LTSM must be provided. This decision must be put before the parents' meeting, whether the IMG manager supports it or not.)

4. How to obtain LTSM
   • Section 21 schools must obtain competitive quotations in placing their LTSM orders with suppliers of LTSM.
   • When ordering additional LTSM, schools must select all Foundation Phase and Grade 10 CAPS textbooks from the approved national catalogues (refer to Institutional Resource Support Minutes 0004/2011 and 0005/2011.)
   • Prescribed literature for Grades 4 to 9 and Grade 10 to 12 must be selected from the recommended prescribed books list circulated to schools.
   • The nationally approved FET catalogue (refer to Curriculum FET Minute 016/2009) is still applicable for Grade 12 textbook top-ups.
   • When selecting school library material, schools should contact the EDULIS Co-ordinator: School Library Services, Mrs Theresa de Young (tel. 021 957 9638) for assistance in selecting recommended titles. The district school library adviser and/or resource centre co-ordinator can also be contacted regarding the development of school libraries.

1. The N&S allocation to schools is intended for the payment of, amongst others, schools monthly municipal services' accounts, e.g. electricity, water, sewerage and refuse removal (availability and usage charges), but excludes the payment of property tax. As in the past, the State will pay the property tax on property registered in the name of the RSA.
2. Schools must still implement, amongst others, the savings measures indicated in Annexure A.
3. ESKOM and most municipalities have indicated they can make prepaid electricity meters available to schools. This will enable schools to better control their electricity consumption.
4. Where it is established that schools are not settling their municipal service accounts, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) reserves the right to withhold funds from the N&S allocation to pay outstanding municipal service accounts on behalf of the school concerned.

1. Day-to-day maintenance applies to the maintenance of grounds, cleaning, renovations, repairs and/or replacement of parts of school buildings. Regular maintenance must be carried out to prevent deterioration of school buildings and emergency repairs resulting from neglect.
2. Where the N&S allocation for day-to-day maintenance is insufficient, schools are expected to supplement the allocation from their own school funds, where necessary. Schools must budget for their day-to-day maintenance repairs in accordance with the condition of the school building and grounds. Schools should set aside a budget amount from their annual day-to-day maintenance allocation for the maintenance of equipment used to enhance the appearance of the school grounds, e.g. servicing the lawnmower, purchasing paint for benches on the school grounds, and purchasing lime and fertiliser.
3. N&S allocations may not be used for day-to-day repairs to hostels. Such repairs should be funded from the learners' boarding fees and bursaries.

• Remuneration of governing body employed personnel
• New buildings
• Hostel expenditure
• Loans to individuals or other institutions

In terms of paragraph 97 of the NNSSF, the WCED accepts responsibility for major emergency repairs to buildings, subject to the availability of funds budgeted for such eventualities. The following repairs will be considered according to the procedures in Circular 175/2000:

In terms of Section 36(1) of the South African Schools Act (SASA), 1996 (Act 84 of 1996) school governing bodies (SGBs) must take all reasonable steps to supplement the resources supplied by the State in order to improve the quality of education provided by the school to all learners at the school. Although no-fee schools may not charge compulsory school fees (including registration fees), they are encouraged to seek voluntary contributions and engage in fundraising activities.

Learner numbers

WCED will review all school learner enrolments in excess of 7% and where learner enrolments, based on the 2013 10th Day Survey, show an increase or decrease by more than 7% at the beginning of the new (2013) school year, as compared to the 2012 ASS enrolment figure, the N&S allocations of the schools concerned will be adjusted for the learners in excess of 7%, and revised allocation letters will be published on CEMIS by 28 March 2013.

All outstanding WCED 043 forms for Section 21 schools must be submitted before Thursday, 28 February 2013, to prevent forfeiture of unpaid funds.