The Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Bill has been signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa, a move that has been deemed acceptable but not perfect by the Governing Body Foundation (GBF), a service organization dedicated to promoting good governance in South African public schools.
The bill contains clauses 4 and 5, which deal with sections 5 and 6 of the South African Schools Act. There was a last-minute announcement that the implementation of these clauses would be deferred for three months to allow for negotiation and solution-seeking.
While the GBF sees the bill as acceptable, it believes that some amendments still need further consideration and that the passing of the bill was rushed.
The foundation supports the inclusion of compulsory Grade R in the definition of “basic education,” noting the benefits it will bring to learners. However, it acknowledges that more needs to be done, especially in terms of funding for this additional year of schooling.
Ultimately, the aim of the amendments is to improve the education system for the benefit of all learners, and while there are still hurdles to overcome, the signing of the bill into law is seen as a step in the right direction.
TimesLIVE