Note to editors: the full written submission can be accessed here.
Build One South Africa (BOSA) has today made formal submissions on the draft Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) regulations, ahead of tomorrow’s submission deadline. In the main, our submissions emphasise that without clear definitions, stronger oversight, and realistic budget commitments, the regulations risk becoming hollow promises that do little to fix South Africa’s education crisis.
The challenges engulfing South Africa’s public education system are plentiful. Classrooms are overcrowded and under-resourced. Learners are too often being turned away from schools due to paperwork problems, while those who are admitted often face classrooms so full that meaningful teaching becomes impossible.
BOSA accepts the principle that these BELA regulations are an important step forward in creating uniform national standards, but policy without budget and practical implementation is meaningless. Unless these regulations are tied to real funding, additional teachers, and transparent capacity planning, they will remain mere ideals on paper while children continue to be subjected to overcrowded classrooms.
BOSA’s submission highlights several key areas where the BELA regulations must be sharpened:
- Clear Definitions: Terms like “surrounding community” must be precise to prevent discriminatory admission practices.
- Transparency: Provincial Heads of Department (HODs) must publish admissions plans, feeder-zone maps, and capacity assessments for public scrutiny.
- Timeframes: Deadlines must be built into decision-making by HODs, Home Affairs, and MECs to avoid harmful delays for learners.
- Data Protection: Registers and admissions files must comply with POPIA to protect sensitive learner information.
- Capacity & Resources: Class size limits must be tied to budgeted recruitment of teachers and capital investment in infrastructure.
- Inclusion: Learners with special needs, foreign nationals, and undocumented children must be explicitly protected, with clear processes that prioritise access to education over bureaucracy.
BOSA further warns that regulations on admissions and capacity will mean little unless they are paired with curriculum reform and higher standards of learning outcomes, especially in literacy, numeracy, and computer skills.
It is our strong belief that equal access must lead to equal opportunity. South Africa cannot afford regulations that look impressive on paper but collapse in practice. We urge the Department of Basic Education to consider BOSA’s practical recommendations so that BELA can deliver real change in classrooms.
BOSA stands ready to work with government, provinces, educators, and civil society to ensure that these regulations are sharpened and implemented in a way that secures both access to education and quality of learning for every young person in South Africa.
Media Enquiries: Roger Solomons – BOSA Spokesperson – 072 299 3551