Latest BELA Bill amendments hand power back to SGBs to decide language policies

CAPE TOWN - New amendments to the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill or BELA Bill have now handed power back to school governing bodies to decide public school language policy.

This was one of the sticking points in the proposed legislation aimed at reforming the basic education sector.

The changes also broadened the definition of corporal punishment to include "belittling" and humiliating learners. 

The select committee in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) dealing with the legislation on Wednesday adopted the new changes to the bill.

Opposition parties and organisations had opposed the clause on language policy, saying it may disempower school governing bodies.

They said the head of department (HOD) exercised too much authority over language policy.

They also said this could be exploited to target single-language and mother-tongue education schools to change their language policies.

But Parliament legal advisor, Phumelele Ngema, said the amendments would give power to school governing bodies.

"If adopted on the C-list as we propose, that will be the effect of what it does, to remove the power expressly given to the HOD but ensure that, as arguments were indicating, it is the power and the duty of the SGB so they must clearly know how they engage."

The amended bill is now expected to be adopted by the NCOP council next month before it goes to the president.