Guidelines trigger new spat

BELA ACT: OFFICIALS CAN'T INTERFERE WITH SCHOOLS' LANGUAGE, ADMISSION POLICIES

- Jarryd Westerdale

Another row is brewing over the contentious Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act after new implementation guidelines were issued by Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube.

The minister issued guidelines on the Bela Act last week. However, these guidelines have not been gazetted, which is the procedure for regulations governing legislation.

President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Bela Act in September last year. It amended certain sections of the South African Schools Act of 1996.

Sections covering language and admissions policies were hotly contested, but Gwarube's guidelines reiterate that language and admission policies remain under school governing body (SGB) control.

Anti-Bela Act protesters were adamant that Sections 4 and 5 of the Act would give education department officials undue control over schools by mandating schools to have their language and admission policies pre-approved by government.

In the guidelines, Gwarube said the document was approved after consultation with the Council of Education Ministers and distribution to all education administrators was instructed.