The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill was not long ago authorized with the South African Parliament and is now just ready for being signed into legislation from the President.

The Act will introduce major variations on the South African Schools Act and also the Employment of Educators Act to better align with present-day academic requires and problems.

Vital provisions with the BELA Bill consist of:

Compulsory Grade R: The Bill makes it mandatory for kids to get started on school at Grade R, with formal penalties for parents who fail to enroll their little ones​​.

Corporal Punishment: The Bill reinforces the ban on corporal punishment and prohibits other varieties of punishment that 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 website education department. This aims to click here 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​.