On 12 June 2020 Equal Education (EE) and the school governing bodies (SGBs) of two Limpopo schools launched an urgent court application against the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and provincial education departments.
EE and the SGBs are challenging the failure to roll-out the National Schools Nutrition Programme (NSNP) to all learners under the national state of disaster. The NSNP normally provides meals to over nine million learners every day, but was halted when schools closed on 18 March, jeopardising the food security of these learners and exacerbating the severe hardship experienced within their households.
EE and the SGBs, represented by the Equal Education Law Centre (EELC) and SECTION27, argue that the failure of the DBE and provincial education departments to roll out the NSNP to all qualifying learners is a regressive measure that violates learners’ rights to basic nutrition, basic education and equality.
Current Status: Acting Deputy Judge President of the North Gauteng High Court, Judge Sulet Potterill delivered judgment on 17 July 2020
Equal Education, SECTION27 & Equal Education Law Centre are actively monitoring the implementation of the plans developed by the DBE and provinces.
Click below to view relevant court papers
Applicants’ Heads of Arguments
Submissions of the Amicus Curiae
Respondents’ Heads of Argument
Click Below to view the media statements published to date
3 June 2020 – SECTION27, Equal Education & Equal Education demand reinstatement of Nutrition of all learners, will consider litigation
26 June 2020 – School meals court case to be heard this Thursday 2 July, as education departments shamefully fail to honour latest promise
20 July 2020 – Education rights organisations and school communities to now monitor government’s compliance with the school meals court judgment
5 August 2020 – Education MECs file school nutrition programme rollout plans that are full of holes, as we write to Minister Motshekga to fix hers
