Petition Overview:

The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act threatens the rights and freedoms of homeschooling families in South Africa. Its provisions impose excessive regulation and fail to address the unique nature of home schooling. By signing this petition, you endorse the Pestalozzi Trust’s memorandum to President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister of Basic Education, Ms. Siviwe Gwarube, urging them to halt these unjust measures and collaborate with the homeschooling community to develop fair and inclusive policies.

 Why This Is Important:

• Exclusion from Dialogue: The homeschooling community has been excluded from critical consultations about the BELA Act, despite being a key stakeholder.
• Violation of Family Rights: The Act imposes rigid school-based regulations, disregarding the best interests of children and the authority of parents in education.
• Lack of Research: The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has failed to conduct comprehensive research before implementing these regulations.
• Keeping Promises: Curriculum freedom for home schoolers, promised by the DBE, needs to be explicitly protected.
• Unrealistic Deadlines: Section 51(5) imposes harsh requirements for registration within 30 days, without sufficient administrative capacity to process applications. Aspects of the Act are unclear and require regulations before they can be implemented.
• Forced Homeschooling: Families lacking access to school placements are being pushed into homeschooling without adequate support.
• Defending the Indefensible: The BELA Act is procedurally flawed and may face legal challenges, wasting public resources.
   
  Our Demands:

By endorsing the Pestalozzi Trust’s memorandum, you support the following:

1 Removal of Section 51 from the BELA Act.
2 Halt the implementation of Section 51(5) until proper regulations and sufficient school places are in place for Grade Rs.
3 Guarantee curriculum freedom for home schoolers.
4 Establish separate regulations for voluntary home schoolers and those forced into homeschooling due to systemic deficiencies.
5 Engage in meaningful consultations with the homeschooling community and respond to the serious legal concerns raised.
 
How You Can Help:

By signing this petition, you endorse the Pestalozzi Trust’s memorandum and support the fight to protect homeschooling rights in South Africa. Together, we can demand fair and effective policies that respect the rights of families and uphold the principles of education freedom.

 
Sign this petition to urge the government to reconsider the BELA Act and collaborate with the homeschooling community.