[lg policy] South Africa: MEC wants school powers

[Harold Schiffman]

MEC wants school powers
Poppy Louw | 30 September, 2015 00:29
According to Lesufi, a process to review the act was under way and the
education department was consulting the community. File photo
*Image by:* Vathiswa Ruselo
The Gauteng department of education wants to regulate school admissions and
enforce language policy at all schools in the province.


These are recommendations that emerged from the Gauteng education summit
held at the weekend.

MEC Panyaza Lesufi was concerned about the power of school governing bodies.

The commission assigned to address the SA Schools Act and governing body
associations raised its concerns about powers held by school governing
bodies.

It was suggested that the powers currently held by the SGBs, namely the
regulation of admissions and the language used for teaching, should rest
with the MEC.

According to Lesufi, a process to review the act was under way and the
education department was consulting the community.

"The recommendation that it be the MEC is because he has an aerial view of
society, but also that he will be able to manage this power with the help
of other departmental officials.

"Sometimes you find SGBs holding communities to ransom with the language of
instruction at schools, even if the demographic around the school is
different," Lesufi added.

The education portfolio committee has received six petitions this year from
parents and organisations complaining of schools not admitting children due
to language policies.

Gauteng education portfolio committee chairman Joe Mpisi said most
complaints had been about Afrikaans medium schools.

"We must get everyone on board urgently to address the language policy
issue. It's a ticking time bomb we don't want exploding in our faces," said
Mpisi.

But Paul Colditz, of the Federation of Governing Bodies of SA, said he was
"not sure" if any governing body association would support the transfer of
power.

According to Colditz, the decision opposed parental and community
involvement in schools as contained in education policy documents

"The decision would be in conflict with the philosophy of the principles
underlying the dispensation of public education," Colditz said.

http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2015/09/30/MEC-wants-school-powers


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