The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill was a short while ago permitted by the South African Parliament and is also now just waiting around being signed into legislation from the President.
The Act will introduce considerable changes towards the South African Schools Act along with the Employment of Educators Act to better align with up to date academic needs and worries.
Key provisions of the BELA Bill include:
Compulsory Grade R: The Bill can make it necessary for children website to get started on school at Grade R, with official penalties for parents who fail to enroll their children.
Corporal Punishment: The Bill reinforces the ban on corporal punishment and prohibits other forms of punishment that 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.