'The implementation of BELA is not an option to schools' - Feni

CAPE TOWN - Parliament's select committee on education has taken a dim view of guidelines issued by the basic education minister advising provincial education departments on how to implement the contentious Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act.

Chairperson of the committee, Makhi Feni, said that Minister Siviwe Gwarube needed to explain the purpose of these guidelines when the expectation is that she is to issue regulations that will guide the process on matters like the language and admission policies of schools.

At a parliamentary media briefing on Monday, Feni said that schools should not be given the option of whether or not to implement the new law.

The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act has been a point of contention since the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU).

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But Feni said that as legislation passed by the previous Parliament, there should be no delays in its implementation, including the introduction of Grade R at all schools.

"We call for greater clarity on these guidelines and we wish to remind all that the implementation of BELA is not an option to schools but a law of the republic."

Feni added that no child should be excluded from a school for any reason.

"We do not want no-go areas in certain schools because they are identifying an area of technicality on the implementation."

On Tuesday, Gwarube is expected to introduce a safe schools collaboration with Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, to tackle alarming rates of violence and crime in schools.