Johannesburg – Equal Education [EE] has agreed to hold talks with Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga, according to a statement on Saturday.

 

Equal Education accepts [the] invitation from the department of basic education to discuss the finalisation of minimum norms and standards for school infrastructure, said EE spokesperson Kate Wilkinson.

 

“The meeting will happen at the Southern Sun [hotel] at OR Tambo [International Airport] in Johannesburg on Sunday at 4pm,” she said.

 

Last week, EE said it was taking Motshekga to court after she allegedly breached an agreement to publish the document by 15 May. The matter was to be heard in the Bhisho Magistrate’s Court on 11 July.

 

On Tuesday, Motshekga said a re-draft of the document will take at least six months to complete.

 

She said she had been communicating with EE to update it on progress on the document.

 

Consultation process

 

Motshekga said she wrote EE a letter last month in which she indicated that the compulsory consultation process with the National Economic Development and Labour Council had not been concluded. When she received its report, she would consider all recommendations.

 

“It is important to emphasise that norms and standards cannot be published at the whim of EE,” said Motshekga.

 

“The South African government is a democracy that requires all involved and interested in education to have ample time to make input to the final regulations,” she said.

 

Motshekga accused EE of being disingenuous. She questioned the group’s sudden interest in the education of African children.

 

After an EE-organised protest over the delay she commented: “To suddenly see a group of white adults organising black African children with half-truths can only be opportunistic, patronising and simply dishonest to say the least.”

 

EE said it was shocked and disappointed by Motshekga’s comments.

 

Racist

 

EE chairperson Yoliswa Dwane said Motshekga should distance herself from these statements, which it viewed as racist.

 

“EE consists of people of every background and we are very proud of this. Any person who commits [themselves] to advancing the daily struggles of poor and working class youth is welcome in EE,” said Dwane.

 

“That these values exist is something that those responsible for education should celebrate, not attack.”

 

EE has in the last few days mobilised school children in Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and Pretoria to participate in marches.

 

The children called for the norms and standards to be published, and for safer and better resourced schools.

 

SAPA