The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill was not long ago approved from the South African Parliament and is also now just waiting around to generally be signed into legislation with the President.

The Act will introduce significant variations into the South African Schools Act as well as Employment of Educators Act to better align with modern day academic wants and difficulties.

Crucial provisions with the BELA Bill involve:

Compulsory Grade R: The Bill makes it required for kids to begin school at Grade R, with official penalties for parents who fail to enroll their children​​.

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