The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill was lately approved via the South African Parliament which is now just waiting to be signed into legislation via the President.
The Act will introduce substantial modifications into the South African Schools Act along with the Employment of Educators Act to better align with contemporary academic needs and issues.
Key provisions on the BELA Bill include:
Compulsory Grade R: The Bill causes it to be required for children to start out school at Grade R, with official penalties for parents who fail to enroll their little ones.
Corporal Punishment: The Bill reinforces the ban on corporal punishment and prohibits other forms of punishment bela bill summary 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 read more regarding abortion. It does, however, address the management of learner pregnancies in schools.