The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill was not long ago permitted through the South African Parliament and is now just waiting around to become signed into legislation by the President.

The Act will introduce major changes on the South African Schools Act and also the Employment of Educators Act to better align with modern day educational requirements and problems.

Essential provisions of your BELA Bill contain:

Compulsory Grade R: The Bill causes it to be obligatory for kids to start out school at Grade R, with official penalties for parents who are unsuccessful read more to enroll their kids​​.

Corporal Punishment: The Bill reinforces the ban on corporal punishment read more and prohibits other kinds 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​.