By Simon Nare
President Cyril Ramaphosa bent backwards for the Democratic Alliance when signing the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill, delaying clauses that speak to school admissions and language policy.
While signing the Bill into law at the Union Buildings on Friday, he said he was delaying implementation of clauses 4 and 5 to allow consultations with parties within the Government of National Unity who are opposed to those clauses.
They have been given three months to find a solution.
“In the spirit of cooperation and meaningful engagement, I have decided to delay the implementation date for clauses 4 and 5 of the Bill by three months. This will give the parties time to deliberate on these issues and make proposals on how the different views may be accommodated,” said Ramaphosa.
But he stressed that should the parties opposed to the Bill not find a way forward, then the government would proceed with implementing the clauses into law.
The DA, which is a key partner in the GNU, has been fiercely opposed to the Bill, in particular the two clauses.
Despite the delay, DA leader John Steenhuisen said his party would continue to brief its lawyers regardless of the three months set aside to find a compromise.
Following the signing ceremony, Steenhuisen said Ramaphosa’s statement that if no middle ground was found the clauses would be implemented, amounted to a threat.
“This means that if there is no agreement, the ANC will proceed with
implementing the clauses that empower provincial departments to override school governing bodies on the issue of the language policy of schools.
“The DA rejects this threat by the president. We regard his approach as contrary to the spirit of the Statement of Intent that formed the foundation of the GNU, which requires the participating parties to reach ‘sufficient consensus’ on divisive issues,” he said.
Ramaphosa said the legislation marked an important step towards resolving longstanding challenges in the education system, and that education must be the instrument through which the nation was lifted.
Also, despite progress, there were challenges in basic education that hindered the nation’s progress.
“We have seen cases of learners being denied admission to schools because of their language policies. We have had cases of children not being allowed back to school or to sit in exams because their parents cannot pay school fees.
“We have seen great disparities in norms and standards, in governance and in access to resources. The Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill seeks to address these challenges,” he said.
Ramaphosa said the legislation further opened the doors of learning and laid a firm foundation for learning from an early age. By law, Grade R is will now be compulsory.
This would enhance the government’s focus on early childhood development.
“Since the advent of democracy, we have made notable progress in expanding access to education for the children of our country. However, barriers to access still remain. In many respects, education outcomes fall short of what our society needs and what the young people of our country deserve,” he said.
He added that the Bill was part of the government’s ongoing efforts to build an education system that was more effective and equitable.
Furthermore, it would ensure that young children were better prepared for formal schooling, and schools would have to apply the same standards for the admission of learners.
“The Bill contains provisions for improving school admissions policies, particularly with respect to vulnerable learners, like the children of undocumented migrants.
The legislation promotes greater accountability with respect to the role of parents and caregivers in ensuring children attend school consistently,” he said.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube, who is a DA member, boycotted the signing ceremony. She said she had been engaging the president on her objections and remained opposed to the Bill.
Gwarube said she had requested the president to refer the Bill back to Parliament for further debates.
“Parliament must be allowed to fix what is currently wrong with the Bill so that millions of learners across the country can access and receive quality education for a better South Africa. In the context of a Government of National Unity, it is essential that compromises reflect the people’s will.
“That is why I have been engaged with the president on this matter. We must consider the objections to the Bill and ensure that it is rectified to avoid protracted and costly legal action,” she said.
INSIDE POLITICS
