The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill was not long ago accepted from the South African Parliament which is now just waiting to generally be signed into law because of the President.
The Act will introduce important alterations to the South African Schools Act plus the Employment of Educators Act to better align with modern academic needs and problems.
Vital provisions from the BELA Bill include things like:
Compulsory Grade R: The Bill makes it necessary for kids to get started on school at Grade R, with formal penalties for parents who fall short to enroll their youngsters.
Corporal Punishment: The Bill reinforces the ban on corporal punishment and prohibits other kinds of punishment which will belittle learners.
Language Policy: School governing bodies (SGBs) will continue here 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.