The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill was recently accepted by the South African Parliament and is also now just ready being signed into legislation through the President.
The Act will introduce important modifications towards the South African Schools Act as well as the Employment of Educators Act to better align with up to date academic wants and problems.
Important provisions of the BELA Bill include:
Compulsory Grade R: The Bill can make it obligatory for children to get started on school at Grade R, with official penalties for parents who fail to enroll their youngsters.
Corporal Punishment: The Bill reinforces the ban on corporal punishment and prohibits other forms of punishment which will check here 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.