Select Committee on Education extends deadline for submissions on Bela Bill
16 January 2024
The Select Committee on Education and Technology, Sports, Arts and Culture has extended the deadline for stakeholders and interested individuals to submit written comments on the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill to 31 January 2024.
The committee Chairperson, Mr Elleck Nchabeleng, said Parliament wanted South Africans to express views on the BELA Bill, as is the case with all South Africa’s legislation.
Requests were received from various stakeholders who indicated they need an extension to make supplementary inputs to their submissions. However, the committee was unable to proceed with an extension at that time. Mr Nchabeleng said the committee needed to be flexible and listen to the people, because the submission period coincided with the December holidays.
The BELA Bill was tabled before the committee in November 2022 and is intended to deal with issues affecting the sector including:
undocumented learners
inclusion of sign language
clarification of corporal punishment
enhance HODs’ and MECs’ oversight role
improve governance at schools
merger of schools
searching of learners for drugs
making grade R compulsory
aligning home schooling and public schooling
and setting provision that are not provided for in the legislation
Any person or organisation wishing to submit written comments is at liberty to direct submissions for the attention: Ms Noluthando Skaka, the Committee Secretary, via email: [email protected] The Bill is accessible at: https://www.parliament.gov.za/bill/2300398
Written submissions must reach Parliament by no later than 31 January 2024 at 16:00. All correspondence should be addressed to Mr Elleck Ntshabeleng, Chairperson: Select Committee on Education and Technology, Sports, Arts and Culture, marked for the attention of Ms Noluthando Skaka. In your submission, kindly provide the name, surname, telephone number, and email address of the person or organisation submitting the comments.
Provincial legislatures are also expected to set their processes in motion as the National Council of Provinces Bills usually follow.
Issued by Sibongile Maputi, Media Officer, Parliamentary Communication Services, 16 January 2024
