Equal Education (EE) looks forward to tomorrow when the Department of Basic Education (DBE) is expected to publish the new draft of Minimum Norms and Standards for School Infrastructure.
The court order of the Bhisho High Court, issued on 11 July 2013, specified that:
“The Minister must, by 12 September 2013, publish for comments, amended draft regulations for Minimum Uniform Norms and Standards for School Infrastructure…”
The new court-ordered timetable results from the fact that Minister Motshekga failed to abide by a previous timetable specified in the November 2012 out-of-court settlement. Under that previous timetable the final regulations were due on 15 May 2013, a date Minister Motshekga failed to meet. For a full history of the delays and false promises, click here.
EE is expecting amuch improved draft than the draft issued on 9 January 2013. The Minister ultimately acknowledged, after receiving many objects to the January draft, that stakeholders were justifiably aggrieved in objecting “to the fact that the norms and standards lack substance and certainty, and that there is no clear framework or plan for implementing the norms and standards.” EE sincerely hopes that the new draft, which is required tomorrow in terms of the court order, is free of these problems.
EE, and its legal representatives in this case the LRC, look forward to engaging with the DBE on what we hope will be much improved draft Minimum Norms and Standards for School Infrastructure.
Comment:
Nokubonga Yawa – EE Spokesperson – 082 833 8389
Yoliswa Dwane – EE Chairperson – 076 706 2338
Brad Brockman – EE General Secretary – 072 267 8489
Doron Isaacs – EE Deputy General Secretary – 082 850 2111
