The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill was not too long ago authorized via the South African Parliament and is also now just waiting being signed into law with the President.
The Act will introduce considerable adjustments into the South African Schools Act as well as the Employment of Educators Act to better align with present-day educational demands and challenges.
Crucial provisions of 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 read more 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.