Below is a brief submission you can copy and paste to make sure changes are made to the BELA Bill - the deadline is Friday 31 January at 16:00. By pressing on belabill@parliament.gov.za your browser should open an email.
[“TO” field:] belabill@parliament.gov.za.
[INSERT IN SUBJECT LINE]: BASIC EDUCATION LAWS AMENDMENT BILL
ATTENTION: Ms Noluthando Skaka
Dear Mr ME Nchabeleng, Chairperson: Select Committee on Education and Technology, Sports, Arts and Culture
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the BELA Bill, currently before the Select Committee on Education and Technology, Sports, Arts and Culture.
I am a concerned citizen.
Unfortunately, I have to reject this bill for the following reasons:
Clause 2 increases the penalty for parents who do not register their children for schooling. This is a retrogressive step as school non-attendance is a multi-faceted social problem that needs to be dealt with not through criminal sanctions but rather through the Children's Court that has the access to social workers and is set up to ensure the best interests of the child.
Clause 4 and 5 diminish the role of School Governing Bodies and centralise power over schools into the hands of officials. South Africa was a leader in democratic empowerment of parents and learners as critical stakeholders in schools. After nearly thirty years urgent school governing body reforms are required but this bill does not pursue this in the correct fashion. This reform needs broad-based consultation with society as a whole. I, therefore, ask the NCOP to take the lead in this regard and engage in wide ranging consultation to develop amendments that meet all stakeholders needs. An initial step is to allow for public schools to become independent schools.
Clause 25 allows for the closure of small school without reasons having to be given. This will have a disproportionate impact on rural schools. All schools should be subject to the same procedures around closure. Measures must be added to ensure proper consultation with communities.
Clause 35 places new restrictions on home schooling.
Clause 39 Allows the national Minister to make regulations, without them being “in consultation with” the public, and then enforce those regulations through fines and jail time.
Important areas that need to be included in the Bill that have not been:
Online and Hybrid Education, both independent and public is not catered for in the Bill despite the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education in the National Assembly agreeing it would be.
No detailed provisions for Early Childhood Development are included in the Bill despite the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education also agreeing to this. Only Grade R is mentioned in the Bill and merely the fact that it is now compulsory.
No provision is made for the registration of independent micro schools. These schools cater to learners in small scale environments.
I urge the NCOP to listen to those providing practical solutions and to take the time needed to amend the version of the Bill to address the above issues and only then send it to the NCOP by the National Assembly.
Sincerely yours,
[Name and surname]
[Email]
[Daytime telephone number]
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