100 000 “No’s” for Amendments to Schools Act

100 000 “No’s” for controversial amendment bill on the Basic Education Act 
Solidarity and Solidarity Helping Hand want to discuss comments 

Delegates of the trade union Solidarity and Solidarity Helping Hand today submitted the complete comments about the amendment bill on the Basic Education Act at the offices of the Deputy Director General of Education. The receipt of the almost 100 000 individual comments of parents, grandparents and teachers was also acknowledged by the office.

Objections and general comments on the amendment bill of the Basic Education Act from tens of thousands of worried parents, teachers and members of the community has continuously poured in since 26 October 2017 on Solidarity’s #FORschools platform on the trade union’s website. “It is clear that there is great worry amongst the community about the possible implementation of the amendment bill. “We want to make sure that the Department of Basic Education receives the public’s comments and that they reflect on the implications of it, should it be implemented,” said Flip Buys, Chairperson of the Solidarity Movement.

The two institutions requested a further discussion during the occasion to discuss the main objectives that emerged from the public participation process on their website.

“The public participation process is now over. We believe there is a good chance that the amendment bill will have to be returned for adjustments after the large number of complaints we have submitted. However, if it is implemented, Solidarity will start with a litigation process to declare the legislation unconstitutional. Such a court case does take very long and for this reason the trade union is working together with Helping Hand’s School Support Centre (SOS) to empower schools with information about privatization. All public schools and even home schools will be affected negatively by the amendment bill. It is only private schools that largely maintain control over their actions. This is thus a long-term solution that we have to work on now already. This will be the biggest community project in our history,” said Buys.

To read Solidarity’s submissions on the Basic Education laws amendment bill, click here.

100 000 “Nee’s” vir omstrede Wysigingswetsontwerp op die Wet op Basiese Onderwys Solidariteit en Solidariteit Helpende Hand vra vir gesprek om kommentare te bespreek
Solidariteit en Solidariteit Helpende Hand se Skoleondersteuningsentrum (SOS) het vandag 100 000 besware oor die Wysigingswetsontwerp op die Wet op Basiese Onderwys by die Kantoor van die Adjunk Direkteur-Generaal van Onderwys ingedien.

Besware en algemene kommentare op die Wysigingswetsontwerp op die Wet op Basiese Onderwys van tien-duisende bekommerde ouers, onderwysers en lede van die gemeenskap het sedert 26 Oktober 2017 onophoudelik op Solidariteit se #VIRskole-platform op die vakbond se webtuiste in gestroom. “Dit is duidelik dat daar groot kommer onder die gemeenskap oor die moontlike implementering van dié wysigingswetsontwerp heers. Ons wil seker maak dat die Onderwysdepartement die publiek se kommentaar ontvang, en besin oor die implementering daarvan,” het Flip Buys, voorsitter van die Solidariteit Beweging gesê.

Die twee instellings het tydens die geleentheid ʼn verdere gesprek aangevra om die hoofbesware wat vanuit die openbare deelnameproses op hul webtuiste na vore gekom het, te bespreek.

“Die openbare deelnameproses is nou verby. Ons glo daar is ʼn goeie kans dat die wysigingswetsontwerp teruggestuur sal moet word vir aanpassings ná die groot hoeveelheid klagtes wat ons ingedien het. Indien dit egter wel ingestel word, sal Solidariteit begin met ʼn litigasieproses om die wetgewing ongrondwetlik te laat verklaar. So ʼn hofsaak neem egter baie lank en daarom werk die vakbond saam met Helpende Hand se Skole Ondersteuningsentrum (SOS) om skole met inligting te bemagtig oor privatisering. Alle openbare skole en selfs tuisonderrig word baie negatief geraak deur die wysigingswetsontwerp. Dit is net privaatskole wat grotendeels beheer behou oor hul doen en late. Dit is dus ʼn langtermynoplossing waaraan ons nou reeds moet werk. Dit gaan die grootste gemeenskapsprojek in ons geskiedenis wees,” sê Buys.

Om Solidariteit se kommentaar op die Wysigingswetontwerp te lees, klik hier.

Flip Buys
Voorsitter van die Solidariteit Beweging
082 335 3430