GEORGE NEWS - A child only has one opportunity to be in school. It is therefore crucial to ensure that every child has the best possible education that we can give them, or they miss out on it for life, says Debbie Schäfer, Western Cape Minister of Education.
The Western Cape Provincial School Education Amendment Bill which was passed by the Western Cape Provincial Parliament on 15 November, constitutes the biggest public education reform since 1994, and is designed to achieve excellence in education for every child, in every classroom, in every school in the province.
Schäfer told Parliament that, to be at the forefront of education, it is important to be open to innovative ways of delivering education, to have effective and efficient ways of assessing schools' performance, and to ensure measures are put in place to improve schooling where this is needed.
In August 2016, Schäfer announced the proposed amendments to the Western Cape Provincial School Education Amendment Bill. The Draft Bill went out for public comment in August 2016 and the WCED received feedback from a number of organisations, interest groups, schools as well as members of the public.
The Standing Committee on Education also conducted public hearings on the bill across the province.
The Bill mainly focuses on:
- Establishing an evaluation authority to be known as the Western Cape School Evaluation Authority (SEA);
- Specific provision for Collaboration Schools and Donor Funded Schools;
- Establishing intervention facilities for learners who have been found guilty of serious misconduct, as an alternative to expulsion;
- Enabling classroom observation; and
- Providing for an exception to the prohibition of alcohol on school premises, on application to the Head of Department, for adult events after hours.
In terms of the legislative process, the public participation period was concluded on Friday 24 August.
Parliament's processes going forward:
- Second reading debate on the bill in Parliament;
- Bill passed by house;
- Assent by premier;
- Publish as an Act.
Regulations will now be published for parliamentary public comment.
"As Government, it is incumbent on us to take deliberate and measurable actions to ensure the provision of quality education for children and I firmly believe that each of the amendments to the Bill will have a positive impact on education outcomes in the province," says Schäfer.
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