The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill was not long ago authorised by the South African Parliament and is also now just waiting around to get signed into law through the President.
The Act will introduce important variations to the South African Schools Act and the Employment of Educators Act to better align with contemporary instructional requires and troubles.
Essential provisions in the BELA Bill include things like:
Compulsory Grade R: The Bill causes it to be mandatory for youngsters to begin school at Grade R, with official penalties for parents who fail to enroll their small children.
Corporal Punishment: The Bill reinforces the ban on corporal punishment and prohibits other kinds of punishment click here that may belittle learners.
Language Policy: School governing bodies (SGBs) will continue to determine the language policy of schools, but these policies must be approved by the head of the education department. This aims to ensure that language policies do not discriminate and are inclusive.
Learner Pregnancy: Contrary to some public misconceptions, the Bill does not give schools control over a learner’s decision regarding abortion. It does, however, address the management of learner pregnancies in schools.