EQUAL Education (EE) has denied claims by the Department of Basic Education that it was imposing impossible deadlines for the norms and standards for school infrastructure.

"All the deadlines EE asks the [department] to uphold were agreed to by the minister in a November 2012 settlement agreement, which was noted by the high court," it said in a statement yesterday.

EE said the settlement timelines were proposed by Minister Angie Motshekga's legal team. "The timeline required the minister to consult the public and promulgate final and binding norms and standards by May 15 2013," it said.

EE said Motshekga requested an extension for publication of the norms and standards on May 9. "EE granted a one-month extension. Now the minister requests 'at least' another six months. EE cannot agree to this."

Last week, EE said it was taking Motshekga to court for allegedly breaching an agreement to publish the document by May 15. The matter was expected to be heard in the Bhisho High Court on July 11.

Motshekga said on Tuesday a redraft of the norms and standards would take at least six months to complete.

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

In a May 9 letter she indicated the compulsory consultation process at Nedlac had not been concluded. When she received its report, she would consider all recommendations.

As from July, the department claimed it would open one school per week in the Eastern Cape, in addition to several others opened in Mthatha in the past three months.

Motshekga said: "Equal Education will not be brave enough to acknowledge this, or any progress we make on a daily basis regarding school infrastructure."

EE said the department's accelerated school infrastructure delivery initiative programme promised to have built 100 new schools by March 2013. According to the latest report to Parliament, only 17 had been built. - Sapa