Western Cape Education MEC Jaco Londt Teaching and learning won’t be compromised in Western Cape amid the current issues surrounding the 2026 Foundation Phase National Catalogue.
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The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has assured schools that teaching and learning will not be compromised in the Western Cape as the current issues surrounding the 2026 Foundation Phase National Catalogue continue.
This comes after Siviwe Gwarube, the Minister of Basic Education, decided to keep the catalogue suspended to allow a deeper review of the procurement process and its legal implications.
Provinces were informed that the existing catalogue of previously approved Foundation Phase materials will remain accessible for procurement for the 2027 academic year, as stated by Gwarube.
Jaco Londt MEC of Education in the Western Cape said: “The WCED has plans in place to ensure that teaching and learning continue uninterrupted.”
“The Department had previously expanded the pre-2026 catalogue to include decodable graded readers, enabling schools to access reading materials at scale, through our Back on Track programme,” he added.
Londt noted that these resources comprise open-source and department-developed reading materials aligned with the WCED’s official reading methodology.
Furthermore, he highlighted that the WCED has established and co-designed a variety of reading tools currently utilised in schools, which will remain accessible through 2027.
“All reading materials currently used by the WCED have been reviewed and screened to ensure alignment with curriculum and procurement requirements,” Londt said.
“With these arrangements in place, we are confident that Foundation Phase classrooms will continue to receive the reading materials and support needed to strengthen literacy outcomes and ensure classroom readiness for the 2027 school year,” he said.
Londt thanked Minister Gwarube for taking decisive action to offer clarity to schools and provinces while the situation is being addressed.
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