Apart from minor glitches, including late registrations and delays in the delivery of stationery due to principals not sending orders in time, the opening of schools in the province went well, with some schools starting learning on the first day.

Wednesday marked the first day of the 2011 school calendar in four coastal provinces, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and some schools from the Western Cape, which chose to open on Monday so that they can close for the long weekend in April.

Basic Education spokesperson, Dr Granville Whittle, said except for the Eastern Cape, which experienced many hiccups, all other provinces started smoothly with only minor problems. Nearly 100 percent of the stationery and textbooks were delivered on time.

“Nine schools in Northern Cape could not open because of the floods. The provincial department has secured alternative accommodation for learners at nearby halls and churches to ensure that learning is not disrupted.

“In KwaZulu-Natal, only one school was damaged and in all the schools visited in the Western Cape, learning and teaching started on the first day, textbooks and stationery had been delivered,” said Whittle.

He said in the Eastern Cape, where the province failed to finalise the stationery tender, learning in 1 000 schools did not start because there was no stationery and textbooks.

The provincial department, with assistance from the national department, is working around the clock to resolve the problem.

“We are hoping that by the end of the month, the problem would have been resolved,” said Whittle. - BuaNews