GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - Become involved in the election of the school governing body (SGB) of your child's school. This was the message of the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, in her address to the media during the launch of School Governing Bodies 2024 Elections in Pretoria on Monday 12 February.
"Whether you choose to stand for election or cast your vote, your contribution holds immense significance. It will not only impact the lives of our children but also shape the future of our nation," she said.
The SGB elections will be held from 1 to 31 March in all ordinary public schools. By law, schools are required to conduct elections for SGBs every three years.
Motshekga said the correlation between engaged SGBs and school success is undeniable. "Schools with high SGB participation report an average 20% higher pass rate than those with lower engagement. School governing bodies are the backbone of our school communities. They ensure our schools are not merely institutions of learning but beacons of hope, character, and community spirit."
Motshekga calls SGBs the "unsung heroes who bridge the gap between communities and classrooms, working tirelessly to build environments where every child can flourish".
SGBs and Bela Bill
Alana Bailey, AfriForum's head of cultural affairs, confirmed the importance of the SGB elections, saying the minister is spot on with her focus on the incredible role school governing bodies serve.
However, Baily points out that if the department has such great appreciation for schools' governing bodies as Motshekga said in her speech on Monday, they will not try so hard to push through the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill, also known as the Bela Bill, in its current form. Bailey pointed out last year in August that the government is trying to bulldoze the bill through Parliament before the national elections of 2024.
In her feedback earlier this week, Bailey stressed the fact that the Bela Bill currently contains two clauses that try to take away the school governing bodies' power and ensure that they no longer have the final say over a school's admission requirements, admission policy and language policy.
"Actually, it is only the community that knows best what that school needs. The proposed bill disempowers schools' governing bodies and transfers power to the provincial heads of education. The decisions are going to be made by someone else in the end," said Bailey.
Where is Bela Bill now?
The Bela Bill is currently at the National Council of Provinces. The standing committee on education (WCPP) held a virtual meeting to discuss the bill on
2 February. "Each province has to say whether they approve the bill or not, and then the nine provinces need to reach consensus - whether it needs to be referred back to the department, or whether the bill can go through to the president to undersign and be implemented," said Bailey.
A number of public sessions are now being held nationwide where the public can give their input. Sessions in the Southern Cape are from 18:00 to 20:00 on 27 February, Piesang Valley Community Hall (Plettenberg Bay); 28 February, George Town Hall and 29 February, Mossel Bay Town Hall.
