Basic Education to face legal action over school nutrition programme
The Department of Basic Education has been served with court papers over the way it rolled out the National Schools Nutrition Programme (NSNP).
Section 27 and Equal Education have approached the High Court in Pretoria to force the department to roll out the programme to all pupils, regardless of whether they are attending school.
The department halted the programme in March when schools closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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Minister Angie Motshekga promised that pupils will receive meals upon their return, but those at home will only receive the meals once they also return to the classroom.
"We are asking the court to set out a declaratory order to remind DBE that they have a constitutional duty to ensure that all qualifying learners receive their meals regardless of whether or not they have returned to school physically or not," says Section 27 spokesperson Julia Chaskalson.
She says they also want the court to order provincial education departments to produce plans on how the rollout will be implemented.