1. Schools in the Western Cape are expected to supply each enrolled learner with a textbook for every subject.

2. In order to ensure that all learners in every school have textbooks for every subject in 2019, principals are requested to:
2.1 project their anticipated grade-by-grade learner enrolment for 2019;
2.2 estimate the expected number of additional learners at the beginning of 2019 based on trends over recent years;
2.3 ensure that all unused textbooks currently in storerooms are taken into account; and
2.4 take their year-end textbook retention rate in recent years into account.

3. The information in point 2 should be used to inform textbook top-up orders for 2019.

4. Schools will be afforded only one opportunity in 2018, between 28 May and 08 June, to order all their top-up textbooks using the online facility afforded by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED). This implies that schools should take time to plan their textbook top-up needs for 2019 carefully, taking into account all the factors indicated in point 2.

5. Schools’ learning and teaching support material norms and standards (N&S) funds will be used to pay for top-up and learner growth textbooks in January 2019.

6. If schools do not have sufficient N&S funds available to pay for all the top-up and learner growth textbooks ordered online, an application should be submitted to the WCED for financial assistance. The application should be completed on the attached template and should indicate the reason for requesting financial assistance. This template must be signed by the principal and scanned and emailed to aletta.knipe@westerncape.gov.za by 22 June 2018.

7. Schools are encouraged to conclude their preparations prior to the online capturing period and to start capturing their top-up textbook needs from the day the online system opens on 28 May 2018.

8. When accessing CEMIS, select the "Administration" option on the menu bar and select "CAPS textbook top-up" from the drop-down list. A sub-menu will appear and will provide access to the capture screen and the "How to guide". Schools are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the contents of the "How to guide" prior to capturing top-up textbook orders.

9. Please refer to the welcome note and guide on CEMIS to ascertain who should be contacted if any difficulties are experienced with the capturing of top-up textbook orders.

10. Once the online order has been verified and signed off by the principal, the school should print a hard copy of the verified order, check it for correctness and keep it on record.

11. It has come to the attention of the WCED that schools tend to refuse the delivery of orders that were incorrectly placed by the school, which has a financial implication for suppliers. Suppliers or their delivery agents will not be obliged to return correctly supplied orders. Principals are reminded that the school is financially accountable for all orders placed via CEMIS and has no option but to accept deliveries in accordance with an official order.

12. Kindly bring the contents of this circular to the attention of all staff concerned.


SIGNED: BK SCHREUDER
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2018:05:12

Application for financial assistance: Top-up textbooks for 2019  (size: 49 KB)