GEORGE NEWS - President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced a three-month delay in implementing certain provisions of the controversial Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill (Bela), to allow for further consultations - specifically on the topics of admission and language.
"Should the parties not be able to agree on an approach, then we will proceed with the implementation of these parts of the bill," said Ramaphosa in a statement last Friday, 13 September, when he signed legislation that would bring a major shift in the country's education policy.
At the signing, Ramaphosa said the bill aligns with the vision of the late Minister Pravin Gordhan, whom he will remember for his dedication to justice and equality.
Ramaphosa said the bill represents a crucial step towards resolving enduring issues in the education sector. However, this optimism is not shared by all.
"The bill is flawed, highly controversial, and not constitutionally sound, and the bill should have been referred back to the National Assembly," said Western Cape Education Minister David Maynier, who expressed concerns about the bill's constitutionality and financial implications.
Further strain on budgets
Maynier criticised the bill for potentially undermining the autonomy of school governing bodies and warned that the financial burden of compulsory Grade R could further strain already struggling provincial budgets.
"While we support extending the provision of Grade R, making it compulsory at this point will destroy provinces financially, when the national treasury has indicated that no funding is available, and provinces will once again be left to find the money on their own."
He said that provincial education departments are already facing a fiscal emergency, having to cut critical services such as meals for vulnerable children, safe transport to school, funding for daily school expenses and teaching posts.
Clauses in the bill that caused major concern include the following: The Bela Bill makes Grade R (currently a part of early childhood development) compulsory for all children; school governing bodies will have to submit their language plans for approval and consider the language needs of the whole community, aiming to be more inclusive; new regulations will enforce stricter oversight on homeschooling and parents who fail to ensure their child's school attendance could face legal consequences, including potential jail time.
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