NN 34/2024
BELA EN 13 DESEMBER 2024
QUO VADIS?
Nadat die NEDLAC-ooreenkoms tussen die Presidensie, Departement van Basiese Onderwys en Solidariteit deur onderskeie persverklarings aangekondig is, is daar verskeie opponerende interpretasies wat die rondte doen. Die SAOU gee graag die volgende aan sy lede deur.
Wat gaan op 13 Desember 2024 gebeur?
Hierdie is ‘n ope vraag na aanleiding van die verskeie interpretasies van die NEDLAC-proses, asook die reg op promulgering (inwerking stelling) van die BELA-wetgewing deur die President of die Minister van Basiese Onderwys.
Wat is tans die status van die BELA-wetgewing?
Die BELA-wetgewing is onderteken, sonder dat dit deur promulgering in werking gestel is. Die wanneer en in hoe ‘n mate die BELA-wetgewing gepromulgeer gaan word vir inwerking stelling, is die volgende aspek wat aandag sal geniet.
Dit beteken buiten klousule 4 (toelatingbeleid) en klousule 5 (taalbeleid), wat nog oop is vir insprake en insette deur die Minister van Basiese Onderwys en die RNE se geskilsoplossingsproses, alle ander ander klousules implementeerbaar is wanneer promulgering daarvan plaasvind.
Waarvoor moet skoolbestuurspanne en skoolbeheerliggame op die uitkyk wees?
Weens die jaarlikse druk op skole om addisionele plek te maak vir die ooraanbod van leerders, moet skole daarteen waak dat die huidige stand van die BELA-wetgewing nie misbruik word om skole te forseer om taal- en toelatingbeleid te verander of aan te pas nie. Dit geld ook vir die eerste kwartaal van 2025.
Ons verwys u hier na die volledige nuusbrief vir hantering van sulke gevalle NN 41/2023.
Beteken dit dat met die aanbreek van 1 Januarie 2025, skole eensydig gedwing kan word om hulle taal- en toelatingsbeleid eensklaps te verander sodat addisionele leerders eensydig tot die skool toegelaat kan word?
Die antwoord is ‘n definitiewe NEE. Indien dit die geval is moet u onmiddelik die provinsiale kantoor kontak om u die nodige leiding te gee vir die hantering hiervan.
Die provinsiale onderwysdepartmente maak gereed vir BELA-implementering. Moet ons bekommerd wees?
Nadat die BELA-wysigings wetsontwerp deur die President tot wet verklaar is op 13 September 2024, buiten die grasietydperk op klousule 4 en 5, en in die afwesigheid van ‘n datum van promulgering (inwerking stelling), het beide die SAOU en FEDSAS op blitsbesoeke deur die land gegaan om al die nodige wysigings deur te gaan en skoolbestuurspanne en skoolbeheerliggame in te lig oor die hantering daarvan in die korttermyn tot en met 13 Desember 2024, maar ook almal te sensiteer oor die aksiestappe wanneer die BELA-wet in werking tree.
Die Nasionale Department van Onderwys het in ‘n soortgelye aksie hulle provinsiale amptenare ‘n oriënteringsprogram laat ondergaan en het ook beloof om skoolbesture en skoolbeheerliggame in ‘n soortgelyke aksie in die nuwe jaar te orienteer. Hiermee herinner ons u dat die BELA-wet reeds ‘n wet is en dat ons die promulgering afwag vir inwerkingstelling en in watter mate dit in werking gestel gaan word.
Ten slotte
Hierdie is verseker tye van onsekerheid en onduidelikheid. Hiermee die versekering dat ongeag wat Vrydag, 13 Desember 2024 deur die regering rakende die BELA-wet aangekondig gaan word, die SAOU dit sal bestudeer en u volledig ingelig sal hou met die uitrol van die wetgewing vorentoe.
2024/12/11
BELA AND 13 DECEMBER 2024
QUO VADIS?
After the NEDLAC agreement between the Presidency, the Department of Basic Education and Solidarity was announced through various press releases, several opposing interpretations were circulated. The SAOU would like to inform its members of the following.
What will happen on 13 December 2024?
This is an open question in light of the different interpretations of the NEDLAC process and the right to promulgation (to put in effect) of the BELA legislation by the President or the Minister of Basic Education.
What is the current status of the BELA legislation?
The BELA legislation was signed without it being put into effect by means of promulgation. The when and to what extent the BELA legislation will be promulgated for implementation is the next aspect that will be considered.
This means that apart from Clause 4 (Admissions Policy) and Clause 5 (Language Policy), which are still open to input by the Minister of Basic Education and the RNE's dispute resolution process, all other clauses are implementable as soon as these are promulgated.
What should school management teams and school governing bodies be aware of?
Due to the pressure on schools to make additional room for the oversupply of learners on an annual basis, schools must ensure that the current state of the BELA legislation is not misused to force schools to change or adapt language and admission policies. This also applies to the first term of 2025.
We refer you here to the full newsletter for dealing with such cases NN 41/2023.
Does this mean that from 1 January 2025 schools can be forced to change their language and admission policy on the spot in order to unilaterally admit additional learners to the school?
The answer is a definite NO. If this is the case, immediately contact the provincial office to get the necessary guidance for dealing with the situation.
The provincial departments of education are preparing for BELA implementation, should we be worried?
After the President declared the BELA amendment bill an Act on 13 September 2024, apart from the grace period on clauses 4 and 5 and in the absence of a promulgation date (implementation), both the SAOU and FEDSAS undertook visits through the country to inform school management teams of all the amendments and to advise school governing bodies on how to deal with the situation in the short term until 13 December 2024, but also to sensitise everyone about the action to be taken when the BELA Act comes into force.
The National Department of Education, in a similar action, had their provincial officials undergo an orientation programme and also promised to orientate school management teams and school governing bodies in a similar action in the new year. We hereby remind you that the BELA Act is already a law and that we await its promulgation for implementation and to see to what extent it will be implemented.
Finally
These are definitely times of uncertainty and some aspects are very vague. With this, the assurance that whatever the government will announce on Friday, 13 December 2024 regarding the BELA Act, the SAOU will study the content and will fully inform members on the implementation of the legislation going forward.
