Johannesburg, 1 April 2015 -SECTION27 supports Equal Education’s three days protests in three cities demanding the release of the Department of Basic Education’s provincial plans for the Norms and Standards for School Infrastructure
We call on the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to make public the provincial plans in the next few weeks as announced by them on March 31.
In terms of the Regulations Relating to Uniform Minimum Norms and Standards for Public School Infrastructure, a Member of the Executive Council of a province must provide the Minister with detailed plans on the manner in which the Norms and Standards are to be implemented. These provincial plans are necessary for ensuring appropriate budgeting and planning in the eradication of infrastructural backlogs in South African schools.
Equal Education has been concerned by the delay in the release of the plan since they were submitted to the DBE in November 2014. Equal Education actively and successfully campaigned for the promulgation of the Norm and Standards and has been working since its promulgation in 2013 to ensure the successful implementation of the Norms and Standards.
The release of the provincial plans into the public domain will enable parents, schools, communities and civil society organisations to monitor that the plans are accurate and responsive to the needs of the schools, that the plans are being properly implemented and that there is progress in the eradication of the infrastructure backlog.
SECTION27’s activism in the Limpopo Province since 2012 has resulted in a sanitation plan for schools in the province and a furniture plan to ensure that there are desks and chairs at schools in the province. SECTION27 continues to monitor progress with these plans.
The state of education in South Africa is in a crisis. It is therefore essential that civil society continue to hold government accountable to meeting its right to basic education obligations in respect of the provision of infrastructure and the realisation of a quality education for all learners.
For more information, contact:
Faranaaz Veriava, SECTION27, 083 650 7585 or via email: veriava@section27.org.za
0 Comments