BASIC Education Minister Angie Motshekga was yesterday instructed by an Eastern Cape court to provide norms and standards a model for schools by the end of this year.
The move has been seen as a victory by education lobby groups Equal Education (EE) and the Legal Resource Centre (LRC).
However, Motshekga’s department also claimed victory, saying it had already begun the processes of spelling out the standards.
Education experts have welcomed the order made by Bhisho High Court judge Luvuyo Dukada.
The order states Motshekga must put out for public comment amended draft regulations by September 12, and by November 30 prescribe a minimum uniform model for school infrastructure to be provided to schools and the timeframes within which her department plans to comply with the model.
The order also took into account that Motshekga had failed to heed the past court settlements made concerning the matter.
Rhodes University-based Public Service Accountability Mon itor education researcher Zukiswa Kota said they were in full support of publishing the model in accordance with the South African Schools’ Act.
“We applaud the work of Equal Education in this regard. We are also encouraged by the implications of the court settlement for infrastruc ture backlogs nationwide and for future infrastructure development.
“There has always been a dire need for a system that not only responds to infrastructure challenges in education but that allows the department to be held accountable against specific, uniform standards.”
Kota said it was, however, critical that in publishing the norms and standards, the outcome was a model reflective of the needs of the sector and of the contributions of various stakeholders.
“This must be more than an exercise in compliance.”
East London education expert Dr Ken Alston said the move was a major step “towards getting the department and the state to provide proper, safe and healthy conditions in which children and teachers can work”.
“This is especially relevant in Transkei and other rural areas.” By November we should have standards the minister can be forced to comply with or face the court again.”
Alston said he hoped the model would specify “the square metre floor space per child which can then be used to prevent the gross overcrowding and force the department to provide the required number of teachers”.
If Motshekga abides by the order, the model would have to take into account basic necessities required at schools such as classrooms, running water , sanitation and toilets among others.
The department welcomed the order of the court. Ministerial spokeswoman Hope Mokgatlhe said in a statement: “The court settlement agreement is a victory for the department since it is what the department had requested from the EE in the first place.
“The agreement comes into effect immediately, and allows the minister to publish the norms and standards for public comment by 12 September 2013 and promulgate them by the end of November 2013.
“This agreement follows continuous discussions between the department and EE regarding the publication of norms and standards for school infrastructure.” Mokgatlhe said newly-built schools now conformed with draft regula tions on standardsthat were published by the department earlier this year.
LRC spokesman Khumbulani Mpofu said the order was a victory for the EE, which was represented by the LRC, in its campaign for norms and standards for school infrastructure.
Mpofu said EE would continue to drive the process even after the model had been published to hold government departments and private companies awarded construction tenders to account. — msindisif@dispatch.co.za
Angie told to set norms
The move has been seen as a victory by education lobby groups Equal Education (EE) and the Legal Resource Centre (LRC).
However, Motshekga’s department also claimed victory, saying it had already begun the processes of spelling out the standards.
Education experts have welcomed the order made by Bhisho High Court judge Luvuyo Dukada.
The order states Motshekga must put out for public comment amended draft regulations by September 12, and by November 30 prescribe a minimum uniform model for school infrastructure to be provided to schools and the timeframes within which her department plans to comply with the model.
The order also took into account that Motshekga had failed to heed the past court settlements made concerning the matter.
Rhodes University-based Public Service Accountability Mon itor education researcher Zukiswa Kota said they were in full support of publishing the model in accordance with the South African Schools’ Act.
“We applaud the work of Equal Education in this regard. We are also encouraged by the implications of the court settlement for infrastruc ture backlogs nationwide and for future infrastructure development.
“There has always been a dire need for a system that not only responds to infrastructure challenges in education but that allows the department to be held accountable against specific, uniform standards.”
Kota said it was, however, critical that in publishing the norms and standards, the outcome was a model reflective of the needs of the sector and of the contributions of various stakeholders.
“This must be more than an exercise in compliance.”
East London education expert Dr Ken Alston said the move was a major step “towards getting the department and the state to provide proper, safe and healthy conditions in which children and teachers can work”.
“This is especially relevant in Transkei and other rural areas.” By November we should have standards the minister can be forced to comply with or face the court again.”
Alston said he hoped the model would specify “the square metre floor space per child which can then be used to prevent the gross overcrowding and force the department to provide the required number of teachers”.
If Motshekga abides by the order, the model would have to take into account basic necessities required at schools such as classrooms, running water , sanitation and toilets among others.
The department welcomed the order of the court. Ministerial spokeswoman Hope Mokgatlhe said in a statement: “The court settlement agreement is a victory for the department since it is what the department had requested from the EE in the first place.
“The agreement comes into effect immediately, and allows the minister to publish the norms and standards for public comment by 12 September 2013 and promulgate them by the end of November 2013.
“This agreement follows continuous discussions between the department and EE regarding the publication of norms and standards for school infrastructure.” Mokgatlhe said newly-built schools now conformed with draft regula tions on standardsthat were published by the department earlier this year.
LRC spokesman Khumbulani Mpofu said the order was a victory for the EE, which was represented by the LRC, in its campaign for norms and standards for school infrastructure.
Mpofu said EE would continue to drive the process even after the model had been published to hold government departments and private companies awarded construction tenders to account. — msindisif@dispatch.co.za
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