The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill officially became the BELA Act on Friday after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed it into law. During the signing ceremony, the President highlighted that the Bill aims to tackle challenges such as school admission discrimination, educational disparities, and financial barriers.
One notable absentee from the ceremony was Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube, appointed earlier this year as part of the Government of National Unity (GNU).
After the African National Congress (ANC) failed to secure enough votes to govern independently, it formed a coalition with other parties, including the Democratic Alliance (DA), Gwarube's party. The DA has opposed several elements of the BELA Bill, and concerns were raised when a DA member was appointed as Minister of Basic Education.
Gwarube declined to attend the signing, citing unresolved issues, particularly around public school admissions, language policies, and the phased introduction of compulsory Grade R.
The minister called for Parliament to address these concerns to ensure all learners receive quality education. Gwarube acknowledged the need for compromise within the GNU and confirmed that she had discussed the Bill with the President, stressing the importance of resolving these objections to avoid legal challenges.
What is the BELA Bill?
The new Act mandates compulsory Grade R, increases regulation on homeschooling, promotes inclusivity, and strengthens language policy fairness. It also reinforces the ban on corporal punishment and improves oversight of school governing bodies.
BELA Bill Full Implementation Delayed
Ramaphosa announced a three-month delay in implementing certain clauses, such as those related to language and admission policies, to allow for further discussion.
Regarding language policy, the amendment requires school governing bodies to submit language policies for approval by the head of the department, which seeks to ensure that language policies reflect the community the school is located in.
Heads of Departments may intervene if policies infringe on learners' rights.
In response to feedback from GNU parties, Ramaphosa decided to delay the implementation of clauses 4 and 5 of the Bill by three months to foster further cooperation and engagement.
The president urged all stakeholders to collaborate to ensure quality education for all children.
Parliamentary Committes Welcome Signing Of BELA Bill
Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, chaired by Joy Maimela, welcomed the signing of the BELA Bill.
The committee commends the President for signing into law this very progressive piece of legislation that will see the landscape of schooling in South Africa changing for the better. This is indeed what South Africa needs at this stage.
Maimela praised the Bill as a transformative step for South Africa's education system, while also supporting continued engagement on delayed clauses. However, the committee reiterated its call for the full implementation of the Bill.
The committee notes that this relates to one of the clauses that the President put on hold for three months. We look forward to the engagement on this but continue to call for the full implementation of the Bill.
The Chairperson of the Select Committee on Education, Science, and the Creative Industries, Makhi Feni, expressed appreciation for the Bill, noting that it will improve school management and address issues like homeschooling, language inclusion, and corporal punishment.
We welcome the signing of this Bill into law and we believe that it will change the running of the schools for the better. We appreciate that the President has once more opened a window for opponents of this law by asking for further input into the legislation.
Feni also rejected claims that the Bill targets Afrikaans and criticised Minister Gwarube for not attending the signing ceremony calling it unfortunate and intended to undermine the president.
