The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has approved the 2026 Foundation Phase National Catalogue for Grades 1 to 3 textbooks, clearing the way for immediate implementation and provincial procurement.
The approval follows a delay caused by procurement and compliance concerns surrounding the catalogue.
Acting Director for Communications Terrence Khala said the catalogue had undergone a thorough evaluation process, including an Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) audit, an independent investigation and legal reviews by both internal and external counsel.
According to Khala, the reviews found no evidence of fraud or favouritism, confirming the integrity of the process.
The department said the new catalogue offers both educational and financial benefits, including updated curriculum-aligned materials and enhanced resources aimed at strengthening foundational literacy.
It also includes learning materials for emerging subjects such as Coding and Robotics.
Publishing sector opportunities
The DBE said the catalogue is designed to improve procurement efficiency through economies of scale while creating opportunities for growth within the publishing sector.
A key change is the reduction in the number of available textbook titles from eight to three.
The department said the streamlined selection is intended to support more focused teacher development and enable more targeted subject advisory services.
The catalogue also places greater emphasis on early-grade reading, with provision for 40 readers per class and a Core Reader for every learner.
Provinces prepare for procurement
With the catalogue now approved, the focus shifts to implementation and ensuring that textbooks reach schools on time.
The DBE said it has started working with provincial education authorities to organise procurement and support an efficient, disruption-free delivery process.
The approval is expected to provide greater certainty for publishers and suppliers preparing for the 2026 textbook procurement cycle, while giving provincial departments a clearer framework for placing orders.
For the education sector, the success of the rollout will now depend on how quickly provinces can translate the national approval into procurement, production and delivery.
The DBE said the process is aimed at improving access to quality learning materials while making the procurement and support of Foundation Phase education more efficient.
