Solidarity supports Minister Gwarube’s call to have BELA reviewed

17 July 2024

Solidarity gave its support to the new Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube’s intention to refer the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill (BELA) back to the National Assembly (NA) as soon as possible.

For a long time, the reprehensible aims of the BELA clauses specifically dealing with language and admission policy have been rejected in the strongest ways by Solidarity as being an attack on schools’ independence – and specifically also on Afrikaans education.

According to Johnell Prinsloo, education researcher at the Solidarity Research Institute (SRI), Gwarube has, since her appointment as a DA Minister, shown a willingness to try to convince Pres. Ramaphosa to amend parts of the Amendment Bill before he finally signs it.

The Amendment Bill was approved by the NA on 17 May, and only needs to be signed into law by the President.

“We know that the DA has largely shared our views on and concerns about BELA in the run-up to the election.

“The idea that, for the sake of greater state control, communities and school governing bodies be stripped of their rights to decide about language and admission themselves is unacceptable.

“During public participation South Africans have also expressed similar sentiments. Yet, their input was flatly rejected by the ANC government,” Prinsloo said.

Solidarity expressed the hope that the Government of National Unity (GNU) would in future be open to input from interest groups and talks where communities would indeed have more of a say, rather than less say in matters that affect them directly.

As was the case before the election, Solidarity will continue to fight the battle over BELA with everything in its power to ensure that the future of schools and learners is not decided by officials with agendas.

Issued by Johnell Prinsloo, Education Researcher: Solidarity Research Institute (SRI), 17 July 2024