The NA passed the bill after it was adopted by the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education on Wednesday , accepting the amendments made at the National Council of Provinces.The passed bill, the amended D-bill, was adopted by all provinces except the Western Cape.
This resulted in the D-bill, which has now been passed by the National Assembly and sent to Ramaphosa for assent.Allowing schools to determine and develop their own language and admission policies, but giving the Department of Basic Education the final say;Making Grade R the new compulsory school-starting age;Some of the biggest points of contention in the coming laws are the language and admission policies, which saw major opposition from school groups and opposition parties.
This change was to allow schools and school governing bodies to determine their own admission and language policies – but these still have to be submitted to the provincial heads of department for approval. “The BELA Bill persists in centralising power in the hands of unelected bureaucrats, undermining the critical role of parents, educators, and local governing bodies in shaping the educational landscape of their communities,” the DA said.