The Department of Basic Education will be closing all public comments for the draft Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act regulations on 5 September at 23:59.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube gazetted two sets of the draft regulations for public comments in August.
The draft regulations cover public school admissions and capacity guidelines.
WHY SHOULD THE PUBLIC COMMENT?
Basic Education believes these regulations will provide a uniform framework for public school learner admissions and set rules for classroom capacity.
Notably, the proposed regulations address issues like school zoning, learner documentation or lack thereof, overcrowding, admission refusals, and school infrastructure, among others.
They follow the recent implementation of the BELA Act (2024).
The regulations will ensure the proper application of the Act, while also revising the South African Schools Act (1996).
The regulations aim to improve South Africa’s education system.
THE DRAFT REGULATIONS IN A NUTSHELL
The regulations give the provincial head of department (HOD) the responsibility of coordinating learner admissions in public schools.
The HOD can do this with the help of the school governing bodies.
It limits the number of learners in a classroom to 40, introducing the concept of standardised class sizes.
There is also a requirement for all learners to provide proof of immunisation.
Yet, parents or guardians can apply for exemption on grounds of medical, religious, or cultural reasons.
The BELA draft regulations offer flexibility in how feeder zones influence school admissions, permitting applications from outside the designated feeder zone.
There is also a requirement for schools to have proper admission records, including registers and other documentation.
Moreover, it seeks to allow the admission of learners without the required documents.
The department believes this uniformity will prevent discriminatory practices in schools.
WHERE TO SEND PUBLIC COMMENTS?
The government has stipulated that all interested individuals should submit their public comments by post to;
Private Bag X895
Pretoria
0001
Or hand-deliver them to the Department of Basic Education office at 222 Struben Street, Pretoria, 0001.
Additionally, individuals can also email public comments to AdmissionRegz@dbe.gov.za
When submitting the written comments, participants should address the letter or email to the department’s director of legal services, Zukile Ntshwanti.
The department further says it won’t consider public comments received after the due date.
Did you submit your public comments on the draft regulations?
Let us know by leaving a comment below or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11.
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