Misconception around proposed school bill: Education specialist
Updated | By Nondumiso Dube
An education specialist says there's a misconception that proposed amendments to the Schools Act will make schooling compulsory from the age of four.
"The bill, which goes to parliament for debate and discussion and public consultation in 2022, proposes that for Grade R in public schools children can be admitted from the age of four," says education specialist Mary Metcalfe.
The Department of Basic Education has published a summary of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill, which, among other things, seeks to have anyone who prevents a child from attending school without a good reason fined or jailed.
If it goes through, schooling will be compulsory from Grade R.
Metcalfe says the onus would then be on the government to ensure that schools can accommodate these learners.
"This is an important part of early childhood development. Where a school has sufficient space to accommodate children the age of seven, the advantage of this proposal in the bill is that if there is sufficient space, schools can admit children into Grade R or into ECD centres within the school from the age of four."
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