South Africa’s education system has been impacted by the new Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act, which aims to address inequalities and standardise rules on admissions, language policies, discipline, and homeschooling. Education professor Wayne Hugo sheds light on the changes brought by the act.
The act shifts control on language policy from local school governing bodies to provincial education officials, changes rules on student admissions and language of instruction, and sets new guidelines on discipline and homeschooling. It now makes grade R and grades 10 to 12 compulsory, aimed at improving early childhood education and ensuring pupils complete their schooling.
Despite the positive intentions, the act has sparked controversy due to lack of increased funding for the growing number of pupils in schools. Public schools are expected to adjust within existing budgets.
Changes to corporal punishment include a broader definition, encompassing acts that undermine a child’s dignity and initiation practices. Stricter regulations on homeschooling require registration, specified curriculum, independent assessments, and government site visits.
The most debated parts of the act include clauses granting provincial heads authority over school admission and language policies.