South Africa’s Bela Education Bill Sparks Language Policy Debate in Coalition Government

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has delayed the implementation of the controversial components of the newly signed Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill. This step is seen as an effort to appease tensions within the fragile coalition government formed after the African National Congress (ANC) lost its parliamentary majority.

The delay comes in response to concerns raised by John Steenhuisen, leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA), the coalition’s second-largest party. The DA is preparing court challenges against parts of the bill that it claims threaten the constitutional right to mother-tongue education.

President Ramaphosa announced during a public signing ceremony that there would be a three-month consultation period to resolve disagreements over the contentious language policies in the new legislation. The delay aims to give coalition partners time to accommodate different views and reach a consensus.

The Bela bill, passed by the previous ANC-led parliament, seeks to reform language and admission policies in South Africa’s education system to promote racial integration and equality. Despite the end of apartheid over 30 years ago, racial disparities in school resources persist, with predominantly white schools often being better equipped.

Among the bill’s supporters, the ANC argues that the reforms are imperative to transforming the education system and erasing inequalities. Critics, however, argue that the bill threatens the existence of Afrikaans-speaking schools and undermines quality education.

The bill has drawn criticism from Afrikaans civil rights group AfriForum and the Freedom Front Plus, who describe it as poorly conceived. The groups insist that the reforms violate established rights and will create unnecessary disputes concerning education policies.

Additional concerns relate to regulations on home schooling. The government seeks to close current loopholes allowing unregulated schools under the guise of ‘home learners’ to bypass state oversight, proposing stricter regulations in line with state schools.

In his remarks, President Ramaphosa highlighted the government’s ongoing commitment to improve basic education and emphasized the importance of working collaboratively to ensure access to quality education for all children, irrespective of their circumstances.

Key government figures, including Basic Education Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, and several provincial MECs for Education, were present at the signing ceremony, underscoring the significance of the legislation.