Bela Bill Has become Passed By The National Assembly On It's Way To Becoming Legislation For Schools In South Africa

The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill was lately accepted by the South African Parliament and is also now just ready for being signed into legislation by the President.

The Act will introduce important modifications on the South African Schools Act as well as the Employment of Educators Act to better align with contemporary educational needs and problems.

Crucial provisions on the BELA Bill include things like:

Compulsory Grade R: The Bill causes it to be necessary for children to start school at Grade R, with official penalties for parents who fail to enroll their children​​.

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