The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill was not too long ago authorized by the South African Parliament and is particularly now just waiting to be signed into law via the President.
The Act will introduce significant variations on the South African Schools Act along with the Employment of Educators Act to better align with contemporary educational requirements and challenges.
Key provisions of your BELA Bill involve:
Compulsory Grade R: The Bill can make it necessary for children to get started on school at Grade R, with formal penalties for parents who are unsuccessful to enroll their young children.
Corporal Punishment: The here Bill reinforces the ban on corporal punishment and prohibits other types of punishment 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 website give schools control over a learner’s decision regarding abortion. It does, however, address the management of learner pregnancies in schools.