The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill was a short while ago accepted via the South African Parliament and is now just waiting to become signed into law through the President.

The Act will introduce important changes towards the South African Schools Act along with the Employment of Educators Act to better align with modern day instructional desires and worries.

Key provisions from the BELA Bill consist of:

Compulsory Grade R: The Bill makes it necessary for children to get started on school at Grade R, bela bill status with official penalties for folks who fail to enroll their young children​​.

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