Several thousand school workbooks were returned to the Eastern Cape education department because they were in the wrong language, the DA said on Monday.

"The DA witnessed hundreds of boxes of books being returned to the warehouse because schools had received the wrong language for their learners," Democratic Alliance MPL Edmund van Vuuren said in a statement.

"This is due to the education department's botching of orders for workbooks for Eastern Cape children for the 3rd and 4th quarter of the year, starting on 16 July."

He said in several cases isiXhosa pupils had been ordered seSotho workbooks, while Afrikaans and English speaking learners had received isiXhosa workbooks.

Eastern Cape education spokesperson Loyiso Pulumani referred the matter to national spokesperson Panyaza Lesufi.

"The national department is the one who orders the books. They would be able to comment on it," he said.

Lesufi said the national department ordered books based on numbers given to it by the province.

"The other provinces all seem to be correct, so why is it only in the Eastern Cape? It must tell you something about that province."

Van Vuuren said the department's database for Port Elizabeth showed 25 370 literacy workbooks and 15 500 numeracy workbooks were still outstanding.

"Once again the education department has put the future of thousands of children at risk through this blatant disregard for their education needs."

He said the ordered books were only relevant for this year. This meant public money would also be wasted.

"The DA calls for a full investigation into the ordering process that led to this. We will also be submitting questions to the provincial education ministry to establish the full extent of the problem."