More funding needed to make Grade R compulsory under new law
Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, says more
resources will be necessary to make Grade R a compulsory grade within the
education system.
This follows the full implementation of the BELA Act, by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday.
Part of the Act focuses on making Grade R compulsory in all schools.
Grade R is currently not part of the mandatory basic education mandate, and it is managed within the broader context of early childhood development as regulated by the Education White Paper 5 of 2021.
While briefing the media in Parliament yesterday, Gwarube said it’s important to urgently provide public schools with guidelines for the implementation of the Act, while new norms and standards are being developed.
Gwarube said she would approach the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, to appeal for more funding for Basic Education.
“And this is the case I intend to make to the Minister of Finance, to say since the president has commenced with this immediately, we are now under pressure to make sure that we can deliver compulsory Grade R.
“I want there to at least be guidelines that are sent to the provinces and to schools, to be able to say how do you handle Grade R if perhaps you were not ready to receive Grade R class. “
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