WESTERN CAPE NEWS - The Department of Basic Education is calling for public comment on the Draft Policy on Home Education.
The public has until 8 December to submit inputs, comments and recommendations.
“Home education is a purposeful programme of education for a learner, alternative to school attendance, which is provided under the direction and supervision of the learner’s parent, primarily in the environment of the learner’s home,” the department said in a statement on Monday.
Home education is recognised under section 51 of the South African Schools Act, 84 of 1996 (SASA), as a lawful alternative to compulsory attendance to school.
The provision of home education is guided by the Policy for the Registration of Learners for Home Education, which was promulgated on 23 November 1999 (effective from January 2000), which sets out national norms and standards which apply uniformly across all provincial Education Departments (PEDs).
The draft policy is a result of the department’s decision to review the 1999 Policy to address gaps which created inconsistencies in the implementation of the policy nationwide.
A working group representative of the Department of Basic Education (DBE), PEDs, UMALUSI, parents, Independent Schools Associations of South Africa (ISASA), South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute (SACAI), as well as Impaq (representing independent curriculum service providers) was established in 2015 to review the existing Policy (1999), by outlining principles on which the reviewed Policy could be based.
Written comments on the draft reviewed Policy on Home Education can be sent through to the Deputy Director-General:
Curriculum Policy, Support and monitoring,
Department of Basic Education for attention: Ms P Ngcobo;
222 Struben Street,
Pretoria 0002.
Fax: 012 323 7749 or email ngcobo.p@dbe.gov.za.
The draft policy can be accessed on www.education.gov.za and www.thutong.doe.gov.za
The policy review comes immediately after the publication of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill whereby the public was also asked to submit comments.
Clause 25 of the Bill aims to strengthen the legislation on home education in alignment with the Policy.
Source: SAnews.gov.za
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