The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill was recently approved because of the South African Parliament and is also now just ready to get signed into law with the President.
The Act will introduce substantial changes into 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 incorporate:
Compulsory Grade R: The Bill can make it mandatory for kids to start out school at Grade R, with official penalties for folks who fail to enroll their youngsters.
Corporal Punishment: The Bill reinforces the ban on corporal punishment and prohibits other sorts of punishment that may belittle learners.
Language Policy: School governing bodies (SGBs) will website 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.