The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill was lately approved from the South African Parliament and is also now just waiting around to be signed into legislation by the President.
The Act will introduce substantial improvements to the South African Schools Act and also the Employment of Educators Act to better align with contemporary instructional needs and challenges.
Vital provisions on the BELA Bill incorporate:
Compulsory Grade R: The Bill causes it to be mandatory for youngsters to begin school at Grade R, more info with formal penalties for folks who fail to enroll their small children.
Corporal Punishment: The Bill reinforces the ban on corporal punishment and prohibits other sorts of punishment 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 regarding abortion. It does, however, address the management of learner pregnancies in schools.