The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill was a short while ago authorised from the South African Parliament and is also now just waiting around to generally be signed into legislation by the President.
The Act will introduce important alterations to the South African Schools Act as well as the Employment of Educators Act to better align with contemporary instructional desires and worries.
Critical provisions on the BELA Bill incorporate:
Compulsory Grade R: The Bill makes it required for kids to start school at Grade R, with official penalties for parents who fall short to enroll their youngsters.
Corporal here Punishment: The Bill reinforces the ban on corporal punishment and prohibits other types of punishment which will 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.