Education lobby group cautiously optimistic about new school year in EC

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 Education lobby group, Equal Education, says its cautiously optimistic about the roll-out this year of norms and standards for school infrastructure in the Eastern Cape.

Schools in coastal provinces open next week, following the opening of inland schools on Wednesday.

Equal Education's national spokesperson, Nombulelo Nyathela, says they opened a satellite office in the Eastern Cape last year to monitor the implementation of the law, which required litigation to be given force and effect.

"We are always optimistic when the year starts that things will happen. We will be in the province a lot, because it is the first year of the roll out of the norms and standards, so we will be on the ground monitoring the basic services of these schools like water and sanitation" she said


Nyathela told Algoa FM News that in previous engagements with the Eastern Cape Education Department they felt that there was a real commitment from the MEC, Mandla Makupula, to meet the time frames for the roll-out of norms and standards in schools.

"This must happen in the next 3 years. We want to see buildings and construction happening. The Eastern Cape is always a very difficult province and in the past haven't always done the right things in terms of it's education. We do have a very committed team who want to turn things around, so we are confident" she added.