Cape Town:The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education has requested a comprehensive list of schools yet to complete reviews of their admission and language policies, along with explanations for these delays. This request follows a briefing from the Department of Basic Education on the implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act.
According to Parliament of South Africa, the committee noted that despite some progress in implementing the BELA Act, challenges such as funding shortfalls, infrastructure issues, and delays in finalizing regulations hinder full implementation. The Act mandates compulsory Grade R and changes to school admissions and language policies.
The Chairperson, Ms. Joy Maimela, acknowledged the department's efforts in assisting school governing bodies (SGBs) with policy reviews but expressed concern over the number of incomplete reviews. She stressed the importance of aligning policies with current legislation to prevent parents from being disadvantaged during the admissions process.
The Department of Basic Education reported that 11,715 admission-policy reviews and 11,657 language-policy reviews remain outstanding. Ms. Maimela emphasized the need for detailed information on individual schools to assess the situation effectively and requested clear timelines for implementation.
The committee also highlighted the necessity for schools to review their codes of conduct to incorporate amendments to the South African Schools Act, addressing issues such as hairstyles, religious beliefs, and corporal punishment. Concerns were raised about the slow pace of finalizing BELA regulations, with the Chairperson urging the department to expedite the process.
Regarding Grade R rollout, the committee members pointed to issues like classroom shortages, practitioner qualifications, and funding disparities across provinces. The department reported varying employment arrangements for Grade R practitioners, with some receiving stipends and others salaries, depending on the province. The Chairperson questioned the national department's approach to these provincial discrepancies.
The committee expects the department to finalize the BELA regulations by the next progress review meeting.