Eight members of the Equal Education NGO visited Grahamstown from King WIlliam's Town last week to speak about their activities aimed at encouraging the government to implement the norms and standards legislated in 2012
Eight members of the Equal Education NGO visited Grahamstown from King WIlliam's Town last week to speak about their activities aimed at encouraging the government to implement the norms and standards legislated in 2012
"It's been two years since the start of the first phase," said Eastern Cape Representative Anda January, "and the government has done nothing."
Legislated as a section of the South African Schools Act of 1996, their full description is "Regulations relating to minimum uniform norms and standards for public school infrastructure".
The norms and standards set out what children are entitled to in public schools in order for them to be able to learn effectively. Among the specifications are where schools should be sited, how big classrooms should be, how many children there should be in a class, infrastructure and sanitation and resources such as libraries and laboratories.
"We aim to improve the education system in South Africa by making sure the government is spending what it's supposed to on education," January said, speaking outside the Extension 9 Hall in Joza, where the Sakhuluntu Cultural Group were staging a Heritage Day event.
Equal Education had been invited to address the children at the event. "We're doing this by making students aware of what their schools are supposed to look like."
January said the organisation had arranged a march to the Department of Education in Zwelitsha, asking to see documents detailing how the norms and standards were to be implemented in schools in the province.
"We'll soon be organising another march," he said. "Everyone needs to see and hear what the government is not doing, is not providing." To read the Act go to http://bit.ly/1Fw7xOQ
