Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has slammed Planning Minister Trevor Manuel's National Development Plan, calling it unrealistic.

The plan, unveiled last month by the National Planning Commission chaired by Manuel, calls for performance-based pay for teachers, and suggests that teachers and principals face competency tests.

When asked about performance-based pay, Motshekga said "areas [in the plan] are not informed by reality. It's things you want in your ideal world.

"It's not done anywhere else. I'm not sure how they expect us to be able to do it."

Motshekga is not alone in her criticism of the plan and finds an unlikely ally in the SA Democratic Teachers' Union.

The union said testing teachers would be an "insult" and would worsen their "low morale".

It said teachers could not alone be held responsible for how pupils performed because resources, socioeconomic status and parental involvement also played a role.

Motshekga said there were parts of the plan her department agreed with and other areas "where they have missed the point".

Her department is working on a detailed response to the plan.

Last month, Motshekga said her department and its provincial counterparts were considering whether principals should undergo competency testing before they were appointed.

Kuben Naidoo, acting head of the commission's secretariat, said it might sometimes disagree with the government and ministers.

"We want government input so what we produce to be adopted [by the cabinet] is grounded in reality."

The plan said unions should not influence the appointment of teachers and ensure only that correct processes were followed.

Teachers should receive regular training and by 2030 all children should have access to two years of "quality pre-school learning exposure". About 80% of next year's Grade1 pupils have completed Grade R, Motshekga said yesterday.