Africa-Press – South-Africa. Education heads of department (HoDs) now have the last say, after consulting school governing bodies (SGBs), on which pupils to admit to public schools as well as a school’s language policy.
This after the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education announced that it had adopted proposed amendments to the South African Schools Act (SASA), 84 of 1996 and the Educators Employment Act, 76 of 1998.
The committee adopted the A-list of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill on Tuesday after embarking on a legislative process.
An overwhelming number of submissions were received and many raised concerns that the Bill sought to limit school governing bodies’ powers to determine a school’s policies.
Committee chairperson Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba said the adoption of the proposed amendments brought the Bill, which has been more than 20 years in the making, a step closer to being enacted.
“The amendment on the language policy states that school governing bodies (SGBs) must submit the language policy of a public school and any amendment thereof to the head of department for approval. The language policy must also consider the language needs of the broader community,” she said.
Mbinqo-Gigaba said the proposed amendments that were adopted included one that makes school attendance compulsory from Grade R, penalties for parents who do not ensure their children are in school, and confirmation that corporal punishment is no longer allowed at schools, with penalties for those found guilty of offences.
She added:
She said some proposed amendments were scrapped altogether, such as a proposed amendment on the sale of alcohol on school premises at after-hours functions.
In addition, she said: “The proposed amendment dealing with members of a SGB who must disclose on an annual basis their financial interests and the financial interests of their spouses, partners and immediate family members also did not garner the support and was deemed too onerous a task.”
Meanwhile, the Department of Education said heads of department did not have unfettered powers to mend a language policy.
If the SGB is not satisfied with the HoD’s decision after completing the procedure, the Bill caters for an appeal mechanism to the MEC.
But the DA’s basic education spokesperson, Baxolile Nodada, said “we’re worried that the ultimate decision still resides with the heads of department and is open to abuse, despite assurances of appeals mechanisms to MECs”.
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