The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill was not too long ago approved by the South African Parliament and is particularly now just ready to get signed into legislation from the President.

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

Crucial provisions on the BELA Bill include things like:

Compulsory Grade R: The Bill can make it required for children to begin school at Grade R, with official penalties for folks who are unsuccessful to enroll their click here small children​​.

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