The new R1.6 billion Foundation Phase school catalogue has been approved, but publisher deficiencies still need to be fixed, leaving questions and uncertainty about which materials can be safely sourced.
Within two weeks of upholding a suspension pending legal advice, the Council of Education Ministers (CEM) endorsed the catalogue on 18 September. A day later, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) announced that provinces could begin procuring books for 2027.
But DBE has since told EdDesk that identified deficiencies – including those involving publishers – still need to be rectified and that procuring authorities must satisfy themselves that their purchases are legally compliant.
What is the Foundation Phase National Catalogue?
The catalogue is a national list of textbooks, learning and teaching support materials approved for Grades 1 to 3.
Publishers submit materials for evaluation, and approved titles are placed on the catalogue. Provincial education departments and schools with procurement authority can then use the list when buying materials.
The new catalogue includes Home Language, First Additional Language, Mathematics and Life Skills. For the first time, it also includes Coding and Robotics.
Valued at R1.6 billion, it saves around R3 billion compared to the previous R4.6 billion catalogue.
Why was a new catalogue needed?
Replacing a 15-year-old version, the updated catalogue aligns with current curriculum needs and introduces coding and robotics. It provides 40 readers per class and a Core Reader per learner while reducing listed titles from eight to three for more focused teacher support. These changes support foundational literacy and numeracy reforms, drawing on The Early Grade Reading Studies and updated numeracy approaches.
Why was it suspended?
The controversy erupted after a News24 report revealed that Lighthouse Publishers, registered days before the department’s formal briefing on requirements, received more than a quarter of approvals for new learning and teaching support materials.
Concerns over procurement and governance followed, prompting DBE Minister Siviwe Gwarube to suspend the catalogue in May. The process was subsequently scrutinised through an independent investigation by Rakoma and Associates, the Auditor-General and a legal review.
The Rakoma investigation found procedural and governance weaknesses, including undisclosed pricing rules, non-compliance with a compulsory supplier-document requirement, an improperly approved change to a submission deadline, and inadequate procedures and records supporting some decisions.
While some allegations were not substantiated, Gwarube maintained the suspension on 3 September pending legal advice from senior counsel. She stressed that the findings did not amount to a finding of guilt.
The investigation reports were shared confidentially with provincial education MECs.
So what changed?
On 18 September, the CEM — comprising Gwarube and the provincial education MECs — endorsed implementation of the new catalogue.
DBE said a “triple-layer review” involving the Auditor-General, the independent investigation, and internal and external legal opinions found no fraud or favouritism and therefore no basis to cancel it.
“Provinces are now empowered to use the latest catalogue, and procurement has commenced,” the DBE announced.
Can provinces now order any book from the catalogue?
Procurement for the 2027 school year remains complex, and approvals may not be uniformly applied across provinces.
Asked if every listed publisher could accept orders, the DBE stated: “The Foundation Phase catalogue needs all identified deficiencies to be rectified, including those of publishers.”
Asked whether affected publishers first had to rectify those deficiencies before provinces could order from them, DBE said: “All procuring authorities must satisfy themselves that their procurement is legally compliant.”
Provinces are facing a rush to verify compliance, place orders, ensure preparation and distribution before schools reopen. Publishers must prepare the materials. Books then have to be distributed before schools reopen.
DBE has not confirmed to EdDesk that every publisher currently listed has rectified its deficiencies and is cleared to receive orders.
The uncertainty is already producing different responses.
The Western Cape Education Department has said it was “erring on the side of caution” amid ongoing concerns, and would not procure materials from the new catalogue for 2027, according to a News24 report. It said it had already finalised orders for the year.
Other provinces have not yet responded to questions.
What happened to the identified problems?
Gwarube’s position is that the catalogue should be preserved by lawfully correcting its defects rather than discarding the entire process.
Her office has said legal shortcomings must be addressed, including obtaining necessary authorisations for deviations and properly recording the reasons for them.
DBE has similarly told EdDesk that deficiencies, including those involving publishers, need to be rectified.
The position appears to be that the problems can be remedied without cancelling the entire catalogue.
Did the minister and Director-General disagree?
Yes, Gwarube and Director-General Mathanzima Mweli publicly differed when Gwarube maintained the suspension while Mweli informed stakeholders that procurement had been approved.
Gwarube cautioned that disagreement between political and administrative leadership did not necessarily mean dysfunction.
What happens next for schools?
Educators need to know timeously which resources they will have before the academic year begins so they can plan lessons and integrate textbooks, readers, workbooks and assessments.
Provincial education departments procure textbooks and Learner Teacher Support Material (LTSM) by selecting approved items from national catalogues and managing local orders and delivery. Each school is allocated an amount and budgets accordingly.
The stakes are particularly high for learners entering Grade 1 next year. A child starting Grade 1 in 2027 will complete Grade 3 in 2029 — just as South Africa approaches its 2030 foundational-learning targets. These targets aim to ensure that children develop basic literacy, numeracy and other foundational skills by around the age of 10.
What does it mean for publishers?
The decision carries significant consequences for the publishing industry, with The Outlier reporting that education publishing accounts for about 62% of industry revenue, with 26 publishers generating R80.5 million, most turning over under R1 million annually.
Inclusion on a government catalogue carries significant commercial impact.
After receiving approval for only 471 out of more than 1,600 textbook submissions, Maskew Miller Learning (MML), a long-standing educational publisher, informed staff about restructuring and job cuts in May. Via Afrika, which is owned by Media24, also announced that it was winding down its operations.
The question about publisher-specific deficiencies – and what that means for procurement go-ahead – remains unresolved.
The Publishers’ Association South Africa has declined to weigh in on the latest developments, pointing to an earlier statement dated 11 September 2026 in which it requested clarity on procurement timelines and the way forward. “We believe that a coordinated and unified departmental position is essential to provide certainty for all stakeholders and to support effective curriculum implementation,” it stated.
This story was produced by The Education Desk, a non-profit newsroom dedicated to addressing schooling challenges in South Africa.