By Johnathan Paoli
Parliament has passed the controversial Basic Education Laws Amendment bill, described by some as a watershed moment that could see the change in the language of instruction for schools.
Against a background of criticism, the bill amends the South African Schools Act and the
Employment of Educators Act if enacted, will allow the Head of Department to decide on what language will be used in the classroom – instead of the School Governing Body.
Solidarity Union spokesperson Dirk Hermann said the government does not appreciate the
concerns of the Afrikaans community.
“BELA gives the head of department final authority if it comes to school admissions and
language, and that is a substantial threat to Afrikaans schools. Government underestimates our sentiments about Afrikaans, and this could lead to a dispute between the government and the Afrikaans community and that could lead, unfortunately, to litigation,” Hermann said.
Afriforum head
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