South Africa’s parliament has recently passed a significant education bill that could result in parents being imprisoned if their children are not attending school.
Under the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela), parents could face a jail sentence of up to 12 months if their children are consistently absent or if they are not enrolled when they reach the age of school attendance.
Additionally, the Bela bill introduces a complete ban on corporal punishment in all schools across the country.
This education reform is considered the most substantial since the end of apartheid in 1994.
The African National Congress (ANC), the ruling political party, argues that the bill will “revolutionize our education system and address both historical and current challenges.”
However, the largest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), strongly opposes the bill, claiming that it grants excessive control to the state over schools and will inevitably lead to the deterioration of education quality.
In protest, the DA organized a demonstration during the parliamentary vote, and they have also threatened to take the matter to the constitutional court if the bill becomes law.
With a vast majority in parliament, the ANC secured the support of 223 MPs, while only 83 voted against the bill on Thursday.
Education expert Mary Metcalf, speaking to SABC News, agrees that there should be repercussions for parents who fail to send their children to school.
Prof Metcalf emphasizes that ensuring children’s school attendance is the “minimum responsibility” of a parent.
An earlier study revealed that 8 out of 10 South African school children struggle to read by the age of 10.
