Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube believes more resources must be allocated to schools after the full implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed all sections of the BELA Act into law following approval from all government of national unity (GNU) parties following a three-month consultation period.
Rampahosa explains that the BELA Act aims to transform South Africa's education system, to ensure more equality and alignment with constitutional rights.
The President acknowledged the need for further consultations among GNU parties who expressed concerns with certain clauses in the Act. However, these parties came to a consensus and the BELA Act will be fully implemented without further amendments.
President Ramaphosa directed Basic Education Minister Gwarube to oversee the rollout and called on the prioritisation of universal Grade R access and ensuring preparedness through new norms and standards.
I have also instructed the Minister 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.
Gwarube acknowledged that work must be done to ensure that the BELA Act can be successfully implemented.
The system needs to kick into gear and the system is not at a place where there are certain things that can be done as of yet but the president has commenced with it so now we are moving at Pace to make sure that the system catches up with that announcement
Gwarube revealed her intention to approach the Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana, to appeal for increasing funding for Basic Education.
And this is the case I intend to make to the Minister of Finance, to say since the President has commenced with this immediately, we are now under pressure to make sure that we can deliver compulsory Grade R.
The Minister further stressed the importance of having guidelines for schools as Grade R becomes compulsory.
I want there to at least be guidelines that are sent to the provinces and to schools, to be able to say how do you handle Grade R if perhaps you were not ready to receive Grade R class. So that they can get guidance from the national department on how they deal with something like that, that’s why the guidelines are there to help them navigate this new reality.
