President Cyril Ramaphosa has on Friday officially signed
the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill into law, which aims to
strengthen governance within South Africa's education sector.
COURTESY: X - @GovernmentZA
Delivering remarks during the signing ceremony held at the
Union Buildings, President Ramaphosa emphasised that the Bill seeks
to address these challenges and is part of the state’s ongoing efforts to build
an education system that is more effective and more equitable.
The Bill follows an extensive consultation process that
sought to take account of views and suggestions from across society.
“Consultation, engagement and debate are defining features
of our democracy. They enrich the policies that are adopted and the laws that
are passed. The law that we are signing today further opens the doors of
learning.
“It lays a firm foundation for learning from an early age.
Grade R, the reception year before Grade 1, will now be compulsory. This will
enhance our focus on Early Childhood Development. It will ensure young children
are better prepared for formal schooling,” the President said.
He added that the law requires schools to apply the same
standards for the admission of learners. The Bill contains provisions for
improving school admissions policies, particularly with respect to vulnerable
learners, like children of undocumented migrants.
The legislation promotes greater accountability with
respect to the role of parents and caregivers in ensuring children attend school
consistently. Home schooling will now be subject to more effective regulation
and oversight.
In light of the different views expressed about the Bill,
President Ramaphosa said he had decided to delay the implementation date for
clauses 4 and 5 of the Bill by three months.
“In the last few days, the parties to the Government of
National Unity (GNU) have expressed their wish to further engage each other on
sections of the Bill that deal with issues of admission and language. In the
spirit of cooperation and meaningful engagement, I have decided to delay the
implementation date for clauses 4 and 5 of the Bill by three months,” he said.
President Ramaphosa said this will give the parties time to
deliberate on these issues and make proposals on how the different views may be
accommodated.
“Should the parties not be able to agree on an approach,
then we will proceed with the implementation of these parts of the Bill,” he
said.
He said all agree on the need for a common framework for
collaboration as government, as school governing bodies and as parents. “For
our education system to work for all, we have to work better, smarter and in a
more cooperative manner,” the President said.
He called on everyone to work together to ensure that all
children receive good quality education, wherever they are and whatever their
circumstances.
COURTESY: X - @GovernmentZA
The ceremony was attended by Basic Education Deputy
Minister Reginah Mhaule, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, Gauteng MEC for
Education Matome Chiloane, Mpumalanga MEC for Education Cathy Dlamini,
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education Sipho Hlomuka and Limpopo MEC for Education
Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya, among others.
The DA warned that it would continue to prepare for legal
action against the adoption of the BELA Bill. DA leader John Steenhuisen said
the party would continue to oppose the BELA Act through all available legal
avenues.
"We note President Ramaphosa’s statement at the
signing ceremony of the BELA Bill today that the implementation date of its
most controversial clauses will be postponed for three months for further
discussions on the current impasse relating to Sections 4 and 5 of the bill. However,
the DA also note the president’s comment that “should the parties not be able
to agree on an approach, then we will proceed with the implementation of these
parts of the Bill”.
"This means that if there is no agreement, the ANC
will proceed with implementing the clauses that empower provincial departments
to over-ride school governing bodies on the issue of the language policy of
schools.”
Meanwhile, ActionSA's Lerato Ngobeni said the bill does not
address the structural deficiencies in the education sector.
“It proposes relatively cosmetic and poorly-costed changes
and additions to a system that frankly requires a near-complete overhaul to
ensure access to quality education. We are particularly disheartened by the
Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube's failure to persuade the president
otherwise, despite widespread concerns raised by parents, educators, civil
society, and her own vociferous opposition, which she has seemingly abandoned.”
The Freedom Front Plus welcomed the president's decision to
delay the signing of the bill’s contentious clauses.
"During the upcoming talks, the FF Plus will do
everything in its power to restrict the implementation of the objectionable
parts of the law. The FF Plus will, as in this case, continue to leverage its
position in the GNU to fight for all South Africans' rights.”
Done by: Mitchum George
PICTURE: Pixabay
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