The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill was a short while ago authorised through the South African Parliament and is now just waiting around to generally be signed into law with the President.
The Act will introduce substantial variations towards the South African Schools Act plus the Employment of Educators Act to better align with present-day instructional needs and difficulties.
Essential provisions on the BELA Bill involve:
Compulsory Grade R: The Bill can make it required for kids to begin school at Grade R, with website formal penalties for folks who are unsuccessful to enroll their little ones.
Corporal Punishment: The Bill reinforces the ban on corporal punishment and prohibits other sorts of punishment which could 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.