BELA Bill unfairly criminalises parents - Equal Education Law Centre
Legal researcher Katherine Sutherland raises red flags about the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill as President Cyril Ramaphosa prepares to sign it into law.
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Lester Kiewit speaks with Katherine Sutherland of the Equal Education Law Centre.
Listen below.
Education experts have raised concerns about the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill.
One of their major concerns is that it unjustly criminalises parents who do not ensure their children are in school.
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A parent or caregiver could face six to twelve months in prison if their child is not in school.
Sutherland says that jailing caregivers does not address the underlying reasons why the child is not in school.
For example, there may be serious infrastructure issues at the school that parents feel put their children at risk, or transport issues.
“It puts the blame squarely on parents.”
- Katherine Sutherland, Legal researcher - Equal Education Law Centre
She adds that they are not against the Bill, but argues that some provisions must be updated.
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.