The Mpumalanga Department of Education notes with concern the article published by City Press and News24 regarding the procurement of laptops and tablets for learners.
The Department wishes to place the correct facts on record and dispel misleading allegations of wastage and irregular procurement.
The Ubuhlebuzile E-Learning Programme was introduced in 2022 as a well thought and phased intervention to enhance teaching and learning throughout the Province.
In 2022, the Department procured 64 000 tablets for Grade 12 learners under a three-year contract valued at R224 million, including a three-year warranty. The procurement was conducted through a SITA contract, with Bongani Rainmaker Limited (BRL) appointed as the supplier, in full compliance with applicable government procurement prescripts.
In 2025, the Department replaced the 2022 devices with 60 000 Packard Bell tablets valued at R232 million, inclusive of a three-year warranty.
These tablets were successfully distributed to Grade 12 learners in quintile 1 to 3 schools in 2025, and the Department is not aware of any verified reports of non-functionality.
The Department attributes the improved Grade 12 performance partly to the effective utilisation of e-learning and teaching devices.
The significant improvement from 79% in 2023 to 86. 55% in 2025 is also linked to the maturing of the e-learning programme introduced in 2022.
The allegation that the Packard Bell tablets constitute wastage is completely untrue and misplaced.
As part of the Department’s e-learning strategy, the 2025 Grade 12 tablets have been retrieved, formatted, and reloaded with updated content.
These devices will be re-issued to the 2026 Grade 12 cohort, ensuring cost efficiency and sustainability.
The Department has further placed an order for 70 000 Windows-based tablet notebooks to be issued to Grade 10 learners in 2026.
The cost of these devices is R330 million, not R600 million as alleged by the City Press.
The strategy is to issue content loaded devices to Grade 10 learners who will retain them through to Grade 12, thereby reducing future costs related to retrieval, redistribution, and logistics.Content to these devices will henceforth be updated remotely, further improving efficiency.
The procurement was facilitated through BRL, in terms of a contract that allows BRL to source devices based on Department-approved specifications, manage procurement, load educational content, and oversee distribution to schools.
The Department funds the programme through a dedicated e-learning allocation, supplemented by the Learning and Teaching Support Material (LTSM) budget, as the devices form an integral part of e-learning delivery.
For the 2025/26 financial year, the e-learning budget amounted to R717 million to cover both grade 10 and 12 learners and is allocated as follows:
R312 million for Grade 12 tablets, including e-content and the distribution to schools.
The remaining R279 million, augmented by the LTSM budget, contributed to the procurement of 70 000 Grade 10 devices, with a total project value of R393 million, inclusive of devices, e-content, and distribution
The Department reiterates that all procurement processes were lawful, strategic, and aligned to improving learner outcomes.
Claims of wastage, inflated costs, or non-functional devices are factually incorrect and misleading.
The Department remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the effective use of technology to advance quality education for all learners through out the Province.