BELA Act fully implemented

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday evening announced his intention to sign a Presidential Proclamation that will bring the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act into operation, immediately.

The BELA Bill was passed by the 6th democratic Parliament on 26 October 2023. The President assented to the Bill on 13 September 2024.  During the public signing of the Bill, President Ramaphosa announced his decision to delay the implementation date for sections 4 and 5 by three months.

Ramaphosa said in a statement issued on Friday evening that he had met with the leaders of the parties to the Government of National Unity (GNU)

“I accordingly advised them that I would proceed to sign a Presidential Proclamation to bring the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act into operation from today. I have instructed the Minister of Basic Education to see to the full implementation of the BELA Act,” the President said.

The President explained that he has also instructed the Basic Education Minister, Siviwe Gwarube, to do what is “necessary” as is customary with any law to ensure that the timeframe of implementation – particularly with regard to the preparedness of the system for universal Grade R access – and the consequential regulations setting out the norms and standards are prepared.

“All bodies and all officials responsible for the implementation of this Act are required at all times to act in accordance with the Constitution, the law and the relevant policies and regulations,” said President Ramaphosa.

The President said that over the last three months, discussions have been held with a view of reaching consensus on these outstanding clauses of the BELA Act.

He stressed that the Bill of Rights guarantees the right of every person to equality and that it guarantees the right of every person to receive a basic education.

“We must therefore do everything in our means to ensure that every child, without exception, has equal access to a decent, quality education. We must therefore leave no child behind.

“Let us ensure that our children get the best education so that they can take our beautiful country and our diverse nation forward to a prosperous future.”

Basic Education Minister, Siviwe Gwarube, said she will not tolerate the weaponising of the Bela Act for political means. She briefed the media on Saturday after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the full implementation of the Act on Friday.

‘’I am today warning any person who seeks to victimise schools or school children outside of the rule of law that they will be dealt with harshly.’’

“I want to remind South Africans that children should be placed at the heart of everything that we do, for the successful implementation of this Act. All these thirteen and a half million learners are my responsibility, and I will seek to protect them at all costs,’’ she added.

Gwarube said that since the announcement of the Act, she has instructed a team to immediately develop guidelines that will be sent to all public schools and provincial education departments by the end of January 2025.

‘’Furthermore, I have instructed the Department of Basic Education to continue with pace the process of developing draft regulations, norms and standards, and a policy that will inform the implementation of this Act. I want these to be published for public comment within the next six months, taking us to June 2025.’’

 

Done By: Mitchum George