AfriForum submits comments on proposed amendments of Gauteng governing body regulations
AfriForum submitted comments on proposed amendments to governing body regulations for public schools in Gauteng. These proposals were published on 1 November 2023 in an extraordinary edition of the Provincial Gazette. Interested parties have until 30 November 2023 to submit written comments on it. AfriForum will also attend a public consultation session which will take place today (24 November 2023) from 17:00 to 19:00 at Silverton Secondary School in Pretoria.
According to Alana Bailey, AfriForum’s Head of Cultural Affairs, the timing for the revision of the regulations is perplexing. “The national governing body elections will take place in the first quarter of 2024. It is clear that some of the proposals for amendments are aimed at that, but if there had been problems with the previous elections, the department has had more than two years in which the problems could have been ironed out. Now a consultation process is hurriedly being undertaken in one of the busiest months of the year, with limited notice to stakeholders,” she explains.
The amendments focus on issues such as the composition of governing bodies for schools with special needs learners, as well as quorum regulations and observers at elections. It is also proposed that a person may not serve as a governing body office-bearer at more than one school, which can be difficult especially in smaller communities and is not prohibited in the national guidelines for governing bodies.
In its submission AfriForum emphasises that the current quorum requirements are sufficient and should not be amended. Regulations that are not aligned with the national guidelines and terms that are not properly defined are also highlighted. For example, in terms of the proposed amendments, governing bodies are required to maintain a filing system, but the format is not specified, which may put the long-term preservation of documents at risk.
AfriForum calls on all educational institutions and individual stakeholders throughout the country to keep an eye open for notifications about the revision of existing laws and regulations and to participate in consultation processes. This includes opportunities for comments on the controversial Bela Bill in the respective provinces.
- Written comments on the proposed amendments to governing body regulations for Gauteng public schools must be submitted to GDEcommentssgbregulations@gauteng.gov.za.
