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Related Sections
1
INTRODUCTION
2
TYPES OF SCHOOLS
3
SCHOOL GOVERNING BODIES (SGBs)
4
Functions of SGBs
5
Who sits on a SGB?
6
Rules guiding SGBs
7
Responsibilities of SGBs
8
The Basic Education Laws Amendment Act (BELA) – Impact on SGBs
9
Building capacity for SGB members
10
Additional powers that can be given to SGBs
11
Disclosures of members of SGBs
12
Prefects and Representative Councils of Learners (RCLS)
13
ADMISSION OF LEARNERS TO SCHOOLS
14
Government policy on admissions
15
Documents that learners should produce to be admitted to a public school
16
Process for admission to a public school
17
Refusing to admit a learner to a school
18
Appeal against a refusal to admit a learner to a school
19
SCHOOL FEES
20
Exemptions from school fees
21
EDUCATORS AND DOING BUSINESS WITH THE STATE
22
DISCIPLINE IN SCHOOLS
23
Kinds of punishment
24
Taking disciplinary action against a learner
25
Taking disciplinary action against an educator for misusing disciplinary measures
26
SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND ABUSE IN SCHOOLS
27
Reporting sexual harassment if a victim is a learner
28
Reporting sexual harassment if a victim is a staff member
29
Child Protection Register and Sexual Offenders Register
30
LANGUAGE IN SCHOOLS
31
Draft policy on the introduction of African languages in schools
32
TRANSPORT IN SCHOOLS
33
UNIVERSITIES AND TVET COLLEGES
34
Applying to go to a University or TVET college
35
NSFAS Bursary
36
PROBLEMS
37
Problem 1: Parents cannot afford to pay school fees
38
Problem 2: Learners are refused admission to a school because of unpaid school fees
39
CHECKLIST: Regulations for the exemption of parents from payment of school fees

The Basic Education Laws Amendment Act (BELA) – Impact on SGBs

The DBE introduced the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act (BELA) which includes many amendments for SGBs. 

BELA aims to improve the efficient functioning and administration of SGBs by providing for greater measures of accountability of SGBs. 

  • Clause 14 of BELA amends section 18A of the Schools Act, which prevents members of SGBs or their families from benefiting financially from their relationship to the school.
  • Clause 23 of BELA amends section 27(2) of the Schools Act to prevent SGB members from receiving any form of remuneration from the school, and section 29, which will ensure that only a parent who is not an employee at a school may serve as the chairperson of the financial committee. 
  • Clause 28 of BELA amends section 36 of the Schools Act to introduce measures requiring the approval of the Member of the Executive Council where schools enter into loan or lease agreements. 
  • Clause 30 of BELA amends section 38 of the Schools Act to introduce new oversight measures when a budget is adapted during a financial year or when a quorum cannot be reached for an annual general meeting. 
  • Clause 31 of BELA amends section 38A of the Schools Act, which provides for processes in paying state employees. The section aims to provide greater financial oversight over a school’s financial affairs. These clauses impact governance at a local level to prevent corruption.
  • Clause 4 of BELA amends Section 5 of the Schools Act by providing that admission policies must be sent to the HOD for approval. 
  • Clause 5 of BELA amends Section 6 of the Schools Act by providing that the HOD when approving a school’s language policy, must consider the best interests of the learner and the number of learners who speak the language, the best use of resources, and the language needs of the broader community. It allows the HOD to adopt more than one teaching language. 
  • Clause 7 of BELA amends Section 8 of the Schools Act to allow for learners to be exempt from certain rules of the school if they impact on the learners’ religious and cultural beliefs.
  • BELA proposes changing the criteria for getting a fee exemption.