NCOP expected to adopt BELA Bill on Thursday
A sitting of the NCOP is set to debate the contentious bill before the nine provinces vote on whether to adopt the legislation.
Picture: Pixabay.com
CAPE TOWN - The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) is expected to adopt the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill on Thursday, bringing the contentious schools legislation a step closer to becoming law.
The bill will see Grade R being made permanent in all public schools, and also the abolishment of all forms of corporal punishment, including verbal, which can "belittle" pupils.
But those opposed to the bill, like the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), are expected to mark the day by holding protest marches in four provinces to voice their objections to the bill.
The bill received hundreds of submissions opposed to the legislation around provisions regulating pregnancies of pupils and language policy.
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A sitting of the NCOP is set to debate the legislation, before the nine provinces vote on whether to adopt the legislation, with the ACDP, Democratic Alliance (DA) and other opposition parties expected to oppose the bill.
The ACDP said the BELA Bill is "harmful to children, families and schools", and has called on South Africans to join its protests in various provinces.
The Western Cape was also the only province to oppose the bill when it was it was adopted by the select committee last week.
The BELA Bill is one of the last pieces of legislation to be considered by Parliament before the term ends in a few weeks.