1. Schools were notified in Circular 0023/2014 that the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has developed an online facility to order Grades 1-12 textbooks, core readers (Grades 4-6), novels (Grades 7-9) and teacher guides in preparation for January 2015.
2. The purpose of this online ordering facility is to afford schools the opportunity to top up their available textbook quantities to the number of learners that are expected in a particular grade in January 2015. Schools will consequently have to indicate their projected number of learners for a subject and grade in January 2015, and assess and indicate the number of textbooks currently in the possession of the school (including excess textbooks in storage).
3. The national catalogues for Grades 1-12 textbooks, core readers and teacher guides as well as the approved provincial catalogue for Grades 7-9 novels will be available on the online facility.
4. This online facility will be available from 21 July to 1 August 2014 for schools to capture their learning and teaching support material (LTSM) needs.
5. The procedure to be followed when ordering a school’s LTSM needs is posted on the CEMIS ordering site.
6. When ordering textbooks, the online system will require schools to indicate their projected learner numbers for January 2015 per subject and grade. Furthermore, schools will have to indicate the quantities of textbooks currently on hand (including those in storage) at the school.
7. Schools are required to use their Norms and Standards allocation received from WCED for 2014/15 to pay for LTSM top up needs.
8. Schools may apply for financial assistance from the WCED in cases where it can be substantiated that the school’s available Norms and Standards allocation for 2014/15 will not be sufficient to pay for all or part of the top up textbooks that the school requires for January 2015. Where such assistance is required, schools must complete and submit the attached template (Annexure A) via email to ltsmprojects@westerncape.gov.za by Friday, 1 August 2014.
9. The WCED will only provide financial assistance for top up textbooks and not for the purchase of core readers, novels and teacher guides.
10. Kindly bring the contents of this circular to the attention of all personnel concerned.


SIGNED: PA VINJEVOLD
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2014:07:10

Annexure A: Request for financial assistance - Top up textbooks for January 2015  (size: 101 KB)