Minister of Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says guidelines will be sent to public schools by the end of January for the implementation of the BELA (Basic Education Laws Amendment) Act.

This after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s directive on Friday that the BELA Act must be implemented in its entirety, following the contestation of clauses 4 and 5 which deals with admissions and language policies.

Gwarube says the draft regulations should be published for the public by June 2025.

“I have already instructed my team to immediately develop guidelines that will be sent to public schools and provincial education departments by the end of January 2025. These guidelines will support school governing bodies, provincial education departments in implementing certain sections of the BELA Act. Furthermore, I have instructed the Department of Basic Education, the Director General to continue with pace, the process of developing draft regulations, norms and standards and policy that will inform the implementation of this Act.”